?What do I do in free time
Is there a life after Work? It seems like a funny question that makes fun of how work or study consumes our lives, but the answer is simple: Yes, there is life outside work meetings and tasks. The most important question that we can easily ask ourselves: In this life, what do I do in my free time? You may feel terrified when you realize that you are alone, and work is your distraction from this loneliness, or when you take a vacation and realize the extent of your addiction to work to the point that it has become your job and your hobby, or you may actually find time in which you do not feel lonely or panicked because you fill it with endless browsing of social networking sites. If you have tried browsing the “Tik Tok” application, for example, you will understand the numbness that comes over your fingers, face, and body because you spent what you may think is a quarter of an hour on it, but in reality it is two hours. If you have not tried it, then do not, but you most likely feel this numbness with another site. .
We are all the same, so we must learn how to build constructive leisure time, which we can enjoy either at the level of relaxation or at the level of investing in ourselves, so that we can start the new day or week refreshed, having given ourselves the necessary care and love required, and prepare to face the demands of the world. In this guide, we guide you to a number of various activities, which psychology recommends for living a calm and productive life. You can apply them all on a large scale, or commit to one or two activities, but be careful not to turn them into a source of anxiety or into tasks that you are urged to accomplish, because Her primary goal is to have fun, and perhaps achievement will come with it if it is available.
First: Sort and organize your belongings or get rid of the excess
You will enjoy the benefits of home sorting if you turn the process from a chore into a desire to spend time and improve your surroundings. (Shutterstock)
Most of us don't notice how crowded the spaces around us are, but believe it or not, it makes us unconsciously angry and upset. One study indicated an increase in the stress hormone (cortisol) in a group of women who described their homes as crowded or requiring additional work. As for the group of women who spoke about their homes in positive language and described them as comfortable and tidy, the levels of the hormone in their bodies decreased. But nothing is certain, as another experience showed that some chaotic environments ignite the fuse of creativity and generate innovative ideas, so there is nothing wrong with leaving yourself an outlet in which to have fun as chaotically as you like, but for most people, tidying up the place and getting rid of the things stacked above and behind the cabinets and in the Drawers and under the bed, it may greatly help enhance productivity and improve mental and physical health. This activity gives you better and sharper focus, as clutter prevents you from finding what you need, distracts you, or annoys you. The system may give you a feeling of self-respect and appreciation, and you will feel proud, professional, and competent when you keep only what you need, and get rid of - albeit with difficulty - what you have not used for a long time, and it will restore your feeling of control over your surroundings.
You will enjoy the benefits of home sorting if you turn the process from a chore into a desire to spend time and improve your surroundings. First, start with small steps. Choose a specific drawer or cabinet, arrange it, and get rid of the excess. Divide one room into several separate days, during which you achieve your goals, spend productive free time, and tidy up the clutter. Also, when you see a small space that is tidy, organized, and easy to use, it will encourage you to work on a larger space. But if you decide to sort the entire kitchen in one day, the idea will frustrate you before you even start implementing it.
Build the goal on other goals, meaning you are confused about where to start, but you invited your friend to lunch at the end of the week. So we will start in the living room, organize the library, get rid of what has been there for years without use or need. Or, for example, you decide to sell your excess utensils to the street junk seller - if there is one - who comes on Friday morning, so you should use this week to sort the kitchen utensils and determine which ones you need and which ones you don't need. But remember that you are doing this to use your free time, so do not pressure yourself, and be aware that sorting and organizing takes longer than expected.
Second: Nurture or explore your creativity
Obtaining knowledge comes in many forms. You may prefer to sit for hours and spend reading, or perhaps you are a fan of visual content that helps you focus more, or audio content that you like to do alongside another activity. All methods are useful, but why should you actually “learn” to read? Not only is it the perfect medium, but because learning it brings with it skills that go beyond the idea of reading itself. Reading trains our brains to work more efficiently, helps us process information more quickly, sharpens our memory, and gradually teaches us to link information while helping us solve problems and think flexibly.
?How do you read and actually benefit from what you read
Proper reading will deepen your appreciation for literature, gain new experiences from it, and enrich your knowledge of the world and people around you. Whatever field you are interested in, think about what you would love to know, and you will inevitably find a book about it. Even if you are not a diligent reader, you may find a topic that interests you in the “Introduction.” Very Short” is available for free on the “ Hindawi ” platform. Good reading requires noticing its small details, contemplating them, and even questioning them as well. The key to immersing oneself in it and enjoying it is slowness and deliberation. Remember: you are reading for pleasure, to clear your mind and occupy it with interesting things and characters, away from the hardships of work or the exhaustion of study. There is no need to rush, read as if you are having fun. With food you love, slowly and carefully, as if you were walking on a rope. Try reading your favorite books again. By reading them, you will return to something beautiful and familiar, the familiarity of old friends, and you will realize what you missed in reading, and you will also notice the difference that has occurred in your personality and your outlook on things. Try reading out loud, a page or a paragraph. It will help you scrutinize the writer's style and use of words, especially when your tone of voice reflects and completes the meaning.
Third: Sharpen your mind
Playing music exercises the brain as if you exercised every muscle in your body (Shutterstock)
Perhaps you have thought a lot about enrolling in a piano or oud class, or you have daydreams about your appearance and your prowess as you sit upright in front of the piano and play the most beautiful melodies. Let me convince you of the necessity and importance of turning your daydream into a reality that you can live in your free time. Neuroscientists gathered to explore the calmness behind the faces of musicians, and they found that something resembling firecrackers was going on in their brains by monitoring them with magnetic resonance imaging. The scientists noticed the activity of certain areas in their brains while performing tasks such as reading or solving mathematical problems, but when they heard them music, they saw "Fireworks."
Neuroscientists have seen multiple areas of the brain light up, simultaneously processing different information in complex, interconnected, and astonishingly fast sequences. The reason suggested so far is that playing a musical instrument engages all areas of the brain at once, especially the visual, auditory, and motor cortex. As with any other exercise, disciplined and structured practice in playing music strengthens brain functions and allows us to apply this power to Other activities in our life. If you are just a listener, you will merge with the music and dance to it, whether with your body or in your mind, but what distinguishes learning to play is that the musical ear hears the music, then breaks it down into its basic elements to understand its melody and rhythm, then reassembles it to listen to it as a single unit. That is, listening to music engages the brain in interesting and fun activities that encourage the body to relax or integrate with it depending on its type, but playing music exercises the brain as if you have exercised every muscle in your body.
Fourth: exercise
Exercising reduces the secretion of stress hormones and increases endorphins, the chemical called the happiness hormone. What gives your mood a natural boost of mental clarity (Shutterstock)
Physical exercise plays a very important role in mental and psychological health, and reduces the symptoms of certain conditions such as non-chronic depression and anxiety. Everyone discusses the importance of physical activity on physical health, but ignores its impact on one's psychological state and self-perception. Exercise or motor activities reduce the body's sensitivity to anxiety. In addition, exercise helps regulate and relieve common physical symptoms such as headaches and irritable bowel syndrome, and promotes the growth of new nerve cells in key areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, which plays an important role in It is important in forming, storing and organizing our memories, and calming the brain in times of stress or nervous stress.
As for those who suffer from panic disorder, exercise, in all its forms, may be a proactive means or a way to cope in order to relieve pent-up stress and reduce feelings of fear and anxiety. Exercising reduces the secretion of stress hormones and increases endorphins, the chemical called the happiness hormone. This gives your mood a natural boost of mental clarity, distracts it from negative thoughts and feelings, and may even reuse them as a motivator to continue and resist them. It also enhances your self-confidence, because you will feel satisfied with your body, you will explore and befriend it, and you may lose weight with continuity and discipline, giving you a natural glow and a radiant smile.
Let us not call them “exercises” because of the stress and exhausting commitment that the word implies before it even begins in some cases. Let us call them motor activities, which are a broad spectrum that accommodates all personalities of all compositions and preferences. There is jogging, dancing, yoga, weightlifting, swimming, walking, and cycling; All of the above you can do on your own, some of them require training with a specialist, and some of them you can start at this moment. We have another more fun section: group games. This part is not limited to the physical benefits that you may gain from games like these. Rather, you will also expand your social network by meeting people with whom you may not have any common interests other than this game. Through it, you will combat your shyness, and you will be able to make friends while you are an adult, and thus you catch two birds. With one stone. Try soccer, basketball, volleyball, or tennis.
Fifth: Activate your dormant senses
Bread engages the senses of touch, smell and taste. What helps you immerse yourself in it to a refreshing degree that recharges your energy (Shutterstock)
If you are looking for something fun, creative, and keeps you busy in more than one way, then the kitchen door is always open, and baking is exactly what you want. Bread engages the senses of touch, smell and taste. What helps you immerse yourself in it to a refreshing degree that recharges your energy, and bread helps contain anxiety when you mix its ingredients carefully so as not to spoil it, so you focus your attention on it. You test the texture of the dough so you are present in your moment with all your senses, far from your fears about the past or the future, and using your hands to build or make. Something that is a creative artistic activity in itself, whether you are a beginner or a professional. You put it in the oven, and you will enjoy seeing your production process from beginning to end. Likewise, if you decide to bake the special cake that your mother used to prepare for you in your childhood, it will recreate happy memories and renew your bonds with what you forgot. If you find baking boring or exhausting, try cooking, even simple meals such as preparing a salad, or chopping vegetables for storage; Repetitive hand movements will make you feel the desired relaxation, and whatever your experience, remember that the goal is the attempt itself and not the ideal result.
More suggestions
Yoga is an unknown magic. You do not need to be an expert in order to stretch your body and breathe deeply for ten minutes, and you can always find classes available on the Internet for all levels. (Shutterstock)
Watch classics you've never seen before, or rewatch your favorite movies with the sound muted and the camera moving.
Prepare a list of your favorite childhood or teenage songs, your inner child will fly with joy.
?Have a movie or series marathon with yourself or one of your friends. How many episodes can you watch in a weekend
Browse comics magazines, either your favorite magazine or explore what's available to find something that interests you.
No matter how trite the idea may seem to you, have you thought about filling the bathtub with warm water along with bath salts and fragrant candles?
Self-care does not differentiate between men and women; Try (try) a pedicure and manicure session at home with a moisturizing mask on the face, and the fun will double if you share with your family or friends.
Yoga is an unknown magic. You do not need to be an expert in order to stretch your body and breathe deeply for ten minutes, and you can always find classes available on the Internet for all levels.
Practice conscious breathing. A simple activity, but its effect is great. It trains you to be slow and attentive and calms your body and nerves. Close your eyes, place one hand on your heart and the other on your stomach, and take deep breaths, preferably if you inhale through the nose and exhale from the mouth, and pour your full focus on the movement of your stomach and the rhythm of your breathing, and the more your mind gets lost. In the maze of his thoughts, he straightened himself again and repeated the process for five minutes or more, increasing the duration each day.
Lie down, turn off the lights around you, and listen to the radio, a podcast, or some soothing music. The world is fast-moving and turbulent, and a break like this will be greatly appreciated by your body.
Prepare your favorite juice or drink at home, and perhaps with practice you will be able to make it as good as a restaurant.
Try preparing your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant at home. Don't raise your expectations but you will enjoy exploring the scenes for yourself.
Memorize the steps of a dance - even if it's a dance on TikTok - and film it with your friends or alone.
Write a poem, even a bad one.
Write a letter to someone you love, or to someone who once upset you, or whom you annoyed.
Recycle an old T-shirt. There are a lot of amazing ideas for re-designing clothes, even if they are just for fun and play.
Buy a coloring book designed for adults, and color a drawing every week in separate sessions. It will help you relax and immerse yourself.
Create a photo album for your family or friends.
Do any activity with your hands, even if you are not skilled at crafts. You might draw, create a simple collage design, learn crochet, or fix a simple item that was broken at home.
Learn chess with a friend, or with a computer player on the "chess.com" website, which allows you to determine your level and play based on it.
Organize your computer and delete old files that you have not opened for a long time.
Write down your expectations and plans for the coming month, then divide them - to remain realistic - into weeks.
Watch a documentary about an event you know, but the details of which are absent from your mind. Do you remember what happened in World War I? Do you know what the Inquisition is? Al Jazeera documentaries and others have an inexhaustible supply of entertainment.
A word from the Sukoon team:
Winston Churchill recommended deep play; Meaning that it is not enough to distance yourself physically and mentally from your preoccupations, but rather you must engage - to the same extent as you pay attention to your work - in your rest, and immerse yourself in a deep activity that helps you spend enjoyable and effective free time, to integrate into it mentally, and not to do it with a mind preoccupied with the work and responsibilities that await you. . Rest does not mean stopping, but rather it means slowing down and exploring oneself outside the frameworks and definitions of work.
Which activity do you choose? It's up to you, but let me remind you that a surprising number of Nobel laureates, successful businessmen, and generals have time-consuming, physically or mentally demanding hobbies, some of which are even dangerous, like sailing or mountain climbing, and others are semi-professional runners, painters, or musicians. Regardless of what you choose from the lists mentioned in this guide, it should be enjoyable for you, awaken your senses, and give you psychological satisfaction different from what you feel at your job or study, but in a completely different context.
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Sources:
How Decluttering Can Reduce Stress and Improve Focus? WebMD, 2021.
The Mental Health Benefits of Reading, Psychology Today, 2022.
How playing an instrument benefits your brain? Anita Collins, TED-Ed, 2014.
Instrument-specific use-dependent plasticity shapes the anatomical properties of the corpus callosum: a comparison between musicians and non-musicians, Henning Vollmann, et al. Front Behav Neurosci., 2014.
The Mental Health Benefits of Physical Exercise, Katharina Star, Verywell Mind, 2021.
How to rest well, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, Psyche, 2021.