The Challenge of Making Time for Joyful Activities

Last week’s post discussed the importance of engaging in activities that bring joy and satisfaction as part of the PERMA model for well-being, particularly to foster positive emotions.

We clarified the distinction between hobbies and other activities that bring joy. (Hobbies are a subset of activities that are pursued for personal enjoyment, fulfillment, or self-expression. While hobbies often involve a higher level of skill or mastery, both hobbies and other enjoyable activities can contribute significantly to overall well-being.) For the sake of brevity, let’s call the “activities that bring joy and satisfaction” something shorter.  “Hobbies” is misleading.  Let’s call them “enrichments.”

We walked through “Step 1: Identify Joyful and Satisfying Activities.” This outlined a flexible process for identifying and engaging in activities that bring joy:

1. Reflection and Assessment: Reflect on past experiences, interests, skills, and passions.
2. Exploration: Explore different activities through research, recommendations, and trying new things.
3. Evaluation: Assess how these activities make you feel and if they align with your goals.
4. Integration: Incorporate enjoyable activities into your life consistently.

Today we support “Step 1: Identify Joyful and Satisfying Activities” with steps emphasizing the importance of setting aside time for these activities and making them a regular part of your life.

While identifying joyful and satisfying activities is a crucial first step, many people find it challenging to actually make time for them. Here are some common reasons:

• Overwhelming Schedules: Busy lives filled with work, family, and social commitments can leave little time for personal pursuits.
• Prioritizing Others: People often feel obligated to put the needs of others before their own, leading to neglect of their well-being.
• Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): The pressure to be constantly connected and engaged can make it difficult to prioritize downtime and personal enjoyment.
• Guilt and Shame: Some individuals may feel guilty or ashamed for taking time for themselves, believing they should be constantly productive.
• Lack of Energy: Exhaustion from work, stress, or other factors can make it difficult to find the motivation to engage in enjoyable activities.
• Uncertainty: People may be unsure about how to fit new activities into their routines or whether they have the skills or resources needed to pursue them.

Overcoming these challenges requires intentional effort and a commitment to self-care. In our next post, we’ll explore practical strategies to prioritize joyful activities, manage your time effectively, and create space for personal fulfillment.

Now that we understand the importance of making time for enjoyable activities.

Step 2: Set Your Mindset

Reframe and take out the guilt!  Remember, a well-rested and happy person is more productive in the long run. Tell yourself some version of, “It’s terrific to make time for these activities. Enrichments provide a much-needed break, reduce stress, and boost your overall well-being.  This is a crucial part of a full and balanced life.  You are managing stress, modeling balance for others, and “stretching” your mind.”

Define Balance.  Personally, going to extremes arises. Therefore, setting some loose structure, such as time slots works.  For example, when I get into reading I suddenly feel the need to read every book that looks interesting and read them all immediately. Or I tell myself, I really just need the time to check out competely and I should sleep or watch mindless TV.  My effective approach is to allot a specific amount of time. This is a support that provides you with a minimum if you will not give it to yourself and/or a maximum if you will let it go on at the expense of something else valuable to you. X time watching tv per day or X minutes reading per day.  It varies with the week and even the day depending on what else is happening.  For me, that feels better and I enjoy it all a lot more.

Redefine “Productive.” Enrichments can be productive in their own way. They can help you relax, learn new skills, or simply enjoy yourself.

Find Activites That Fit Your Lifestyle. If you’re always on the go, choose enrichments that you can do while commuting or during short breaks.

Step 3: Find Time for These Activities

Assess Your Schedule and Prioritize: Look at your daily, weekly, and monthly routines. Identify pockets of free time or times that can be adjusted to include your chosen activities.  

Set Realistic Goals: Start small. Commit to dedicating a specific amount of time each week to these activities.  Even 15-20 minutes can be enough to enjoy an enrichment.

Use Time Management Techniques: Apply methods like time blocking or the Pomodoro Technique to create dedicated time slots for your activities.  Let’s define those.

Step 4: Make It a Habit

Create a Routine: Integrate your activities into a regular schedule. Consistency helps form habits. I review my week and set up the next week’s schedule every weekend.  This is where I am mindful to prioritize and schedule in time for enrichments.  Since my current activites I am scheduling are workouts and reading, I schedule the workouts according to the number I am aiming for per week and the other activities scheduled for the week (like going to work and parent-teacher conferences ay my son’s school).  I described above how easily I fit reading back into my week with nothing more than replacing a time waster.  Darn that tempting Instagram.  I didn’t actually have to create a space.  I just had to be aware of what I was doing with my time!

Start with Small Steps: Begin with manageable amounts of time and gradually increase as it becomes a natural part of your routine.  When I wanted to try mosaics, I spent hundreds of dollars buying tools and materials for a single attempt that was never completed.  Lesson learned. (Okay, maybe something similar has happened a number of other times too.) In a step in the right direction, I later bought KITS for trying crocheting some wall art and knitting  a scarf.  They were much less expensive and came with only the materials you needed for that one project.  I never did either of those and gave them a way.  But at least this time I only bought an inexpensive kit.  More recently, I wanted another chance to try crocheting (yes, I know) and embroidery.  I bought a kit for each.  I share this hoping the admission will be the impetus to spend at least a Pomodoro on one of them!!!!

Set Reminders: Use calendars, alarms, or apps to remind you to engage in your activities. 

Track Your Progress: Keep a journal or use a habit-tracking app to monitor your involvement in these activities and reflect on how they impact your well-being.

Reward Yourself: Celebrate your commitment by acknowledging your achievements, even small ones, which can reinforce the habit.  I will celebrate right here at Spotlight or come to admit if I didn’t do it!  Please join me!  What are you going to try?  Have a hobby you know you love? Have one you want to try?  Post a picture?

Step 5: Keep an Open Mind

Stay Curious: Always be willing to learn about and try new activities. This can lead to discovering new sources of joy.

Be Flexible: If an activity stops being enjoyable, be open to shifting your focus to something else that might be more fulfilling.

Seek Inspiration: Follow blogs, join groups, or attend events related to new interests to keep your ideas fresh.

Ask for Suggestions: Talk to people with diverse interests to get ideas for activities you might not have considered.
Reflect Regularly: Periodically evaluate your interests and activities to ensure they still align with what brings you joy and satisfaction.