4 Practical Ways On How To Schedule Leisure

As we learned from our last post on The Importance of Scheduling Leisure in a Busy World, many of us feel anxiety-ridden and worry about what tomorrow holds in this demanding world that constantly clamours for our attention. Amidst this chaos, we realize that leisure is not just a luxury but a necessity to secure that long-sought happiness and maintain our sanity.

But let’s face it: haphazardly enjoying leisure is like trying to enjoy a cake by eating the crumbs. That’s why scheduling it with intent can significantly boost our productivity, mental health, relationships, and overall growth and fulfilment.

Yet, some pesky barriers keep us from pencilling in leisure time.

4 Barriers To Scheduling Leisure

1. Lack of Time: Our schedules often burst at the seams with work, family, and other obligations, leaving no room for leisurely escapades.
2. Guilt and Perceived Laziness: We feel guilty about taking time off for leisure, associating it with being lazy or unproductive.
3. Poor Time Management: Inefficient time use leaves us scrambling and no free time for fun and games.
4. Underestimating the Importance of Leisure: Some don’t realize that leisure is the secret sauce for mental and physical well-being and don’t prioritize it.

But fear not! Here’s how you can leap over these barriers with 4 practical, and yes, fun, ways to schedule leisure:

1. Incorporate Leisure into Daily Routines

Barrier Busted: Lack of Time

Practical Step: Blend leisure with daily tasks. Take a walk during lunch breaks; listen to a podcast while cooking.

Implementation Tip: Identify small pockets of time throughout the day and seamlessly integrate leisure. Think of it as a leisure scavenger hunt!

2. Schedule Leisure as an Essential Appointment

Barrier Busted: Guilt and Perceived Laziness

Practical Step: Treat leisure time like a necessary appointment. Block it off in your calendar. If you wouldn’t cancel a doctor’s appointment, don’t cancel your “me-time”!

Implementation Tip: Use your phone calendar to set recurring leisure times and set reminders so you commit to them.

3. Set Clear Boundaries

Barrier Busted: Poor Time Management

Practical Step: Learn the fine art of saying no to non-essential commitments. Protect your leisure time like it’s the last piece of chocolate cake.

Implementation Tip: Communicate your leisure schedule to family, friends, and colleagues. They need to know when you’re off-limits. Think of it as setting up your “do not disturb” sign.

4. Start Small and Gradually Increase

Barrier Busted: Underestimating the Importance of Leisure

Practical Step: Start with short, manageable leisure activities that fit easily into your schedule. Gradually increase the duration as you start to see the benefits. It’s like training for a marathon but way more fun.

Implementation Tip: Track the impact of leisure activities on your mood and productivity. Keep a leisure journal and note how each activity makes you feel. See the positive changes to reinforce the importance of scheduling leisure.

Stay Tuned

Now that you’ve checked out how to schedule leisure, in VibeYetu’s next thrilling instalment, get ready to:

◉ Enhance Your Mental Health With 5 Science-Backed New Leisure Activities