Finding time for yourself can be difficult when we start having children, but it’s an important step to take. And, when we make time to work on our mental health and emotional wellbeing, we can become even better parents.
Whether you have a secret desire to invest in your skillset, change your career path, or take up a new project, it’s important to make sure that you can use your childfree hours to optimise doing what you love.
Here are 5 tips to achieving more with your childfree time:
1. Prioritise everything else first
Getting the compulsory stuff out of the way first will let you maximise how much time you have left for your hobbies and interests.
If it’s housework that’s holding you back, you might want to schedule a room or activity per day to focus on. Put on some music and have a boogie while you do it, but make sure you set a time limit.
If you’re working through an endless backlog of career-related work, separate it into two columns of essential and non-essential.
2. List, List, List!
Making a good old list is a sure-fire way to help clear your head, and you can better prioritise your tasks. This is the key to successful time management.
Companies like Paperchase have a great range of stationery to create your dream to do list, whether that’s in a notebook, diary, or on a desk planner.
3. Education
You might want to use some time to further your education or learn a new subject to help you change career paths.
Even if you work full-time hours, universities such as Anglia Ruskin can help you find a course that fits around you and your commitments without breaking a sweat.
4. Pick up a hobby
For all its rewards, being a parent is time-consuming and often difficult. It’s easy to lose sight of the hobbies that make you happy.
If your passion is reading, you could join a local book club, or search for a local crafts class.
Websites like Find a Craft will let you search for craft classes by subject and area, so you can see what is available near to you, how much it costs, and how long each class runs.
You’ll make new friends along the way, and most importantly, it will get you out of the house.
If you prefer to craft in the comfort of your own home then something like knitting or jewellery making could be the perfect fit. You just need a few key bits of kit to get started, like knitting needles and wool or jewellery tools, findings, and beads.
5. Schedule your free time
Try and organise your childfree time in advance as much as possible.
This will allow you to plan for the time you have and give you something to look forward to.
You can use calendars (physical or virtual) to plot and plan your time. Large multi-column family calendars are often good for displaying in a central place in the house (like the kitchen) and organising what each member of the family is up to at any time.
This means you can easily manage your free time around your other appointments and commitments.
Do you have any tips and tricks to making the most of your childfree hours? Leave your answer in the comments below!