472-Setting Time with Intentional Margins® Part 1 of 2

Too much time on our hands isn't good for our happiness; so what should we do? Learn more about you can manage your time using Intentional Margins® in this episode of Everyday Happiness.  

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I am fascinated by this article in the Washington Post about having too much time on your hands and how it can affect your happiness.   It dissects new research about how we should be spending that illusive free time.  

 

This plays hand and hand to my concept of Intentional Margins®, which is a buffer of space and time to create harmony between our todos and our priorities.   

 

We owe it to ourselves and the people we love to decide what matters most.   

 

Based on the results of the research, there are a few tips from experts on how to optimize your free time to increase your sense of well-being.

 

If you feel like you have too much leisure time, one way to optimize that time for happiness is to choose your activities wisely.  Do something productive like a new hobby or getting outside for a walk.  One of the authors of the study, Fritz says, but “in this context, ‘productive’ means worthwhile or fulfilling, rather than contributing to the greater good. For some people, it might be sitting on the beach watching the waves, and for others, it’s volunteering or renovating the house.” 

 

Of course, this new research is right in line with previous research that connecting with others almost always makes you feel happy.  So like the first tip, choose wisely and connect with someone that lifts you up.  

 

Finally, flip your perspective, as we discussed in Episode, 129, if you can find the silver lining, including being totally ok with putting your feet up with a good book, then happiness will flow. 

 

Tomorrow we’ll talk about free time when you don’t feel like you have any at all and what the science says will help alleviate some of the overwhelm. 

 

Until next time, remember, kindness is contagious. 

 

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