Some people live without being tied down to anything. They can’t be bothered by a set schedule or following strict orders. These free spirits live care-free, but they can still teach you a lot about time management. Here is what free spirits can teach you about time management.
As strange as that may sound, it’s actually true. While moderation is key in life, free spirits can actually teach even the most time-conscious individuals a thing or two. Here are some examples:
Dedicate Time to What You Love
Free spirits often prioritize spending time doing what they enjoy most. They don’t often waste their days doing things they find meaningless or tedious. Dedicating time to their true passion is part of why they’re so happy.
While you can’t shirk all responsibilities in favor of fun, it’s important to schedule a time for the things you care about the most. Whether this is family time or pursuing a hobby, making time for what you enjoy is key to getting the most out of life.
Get Some Rest
Without many commitments in their schedule, free spirits can get rest when they need it. There’s time to kick back and relax or get some extra winks when they need without feeling pressure or stress for doing so. This is something everyone would like, but most can’t attain with a busy schedule.
Regardless of how jam-packed your schedule may be, it’s important to get some rest every once in a while. Being able to recharge allows you to approach your responsibilities at full capacity. To be at your most efficient and effective, get some rest.
Take Things One at a Time
A lot of people like to brag about their ability to multitask. Great as that may be, multitasking can be both stressful and inefficient. In many cases, it’s best to act as a free spirit and take things one at a time.
When organizing your online calendar, try not to stack tasks and responsibilities. Overloading your plate can stress you out and make life unnecessarily difficult. If you’re prone to multitask, try taking things one at a time and note the difference it makes.
Be Able to Adjust on the Fly
One thing free spirits excel at is being able to roll with the punches. They don’t break a sweat when plans have to change, or unexpected circumstances arise. This is a valuable skill, allowing you to make the most out of every situation.
No matter how well you plan, unexpected events are certain to pop up. Part of managing your time is being able to manage these adjustments. Use your online calendar to develop backup plans and leave time for the unexpected.
Maintain a Good Work-Life Balance
Family is one of life’s greatest joys. Those individuals closest to you deserve your time and attention, and healthy family life is key to productivity and happiness. Maintaining a good work-life balance is something free spirits often make sure to do.
Open up your online calendar. How much family time do you have scheduled? Look for ways to reach out to family both near and far. Developing those relationships will bring you just as much satisfaction as anything you could accomplish in your professional life.
Make Time for Travel
Responsibilities can easily get in the way of travel. Not that all free spirits shirk responsibilities, but they typically make time for it more than others. Seeing the world is valuable both from an educational and a recreational standpoint and something well worth pursuing.
Try adding some more travel dates to your online calendar. It doesn’t have to be a trip around the world, maybe just a long weekend to some historical sites. Note the benefits you get from traveling. It’ll motivate you to make time for it more often.
Stop and Smell the Roses
Have you ever missed something great because you were rushing around due to a busy schedule? Free spirits are quite the opposite. They aren’t bothered by taking a second to stop and admire something worthwhile, even if they’re in a hurry.
Being able to step back from the craziness, even for a moment, is a valuable skill. When time management has your schedule packed from end to end, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. Just a moment to stop and breathe can give you the push to get you through the day.
Leave Open Spaces
Speaking of busy schedules, take a look at your online calendar again. Is it filled from top to bottom? This is all well and good; it means you’re making an effort to be productive. However, leaving some open spaces can be just as valuable.
Free spirits rarely fill up their schedule entirely. Having open spaces in their calendars allows them to take advantage of opportunities or enjoy an unplanned activity. These breaks can provide just as much value to your day as a full schedule would, without all the stress and pressure.
Recognize the Importance of Time Management
At the end of the day, the most successful people don’t make progress without a little bit of structure. Even the freest of spirits need a little bit of accountability to make their dreams come true. Otherwise, they’ll just let life slip away.
No matter how fun and happy living a care-free life with no responsibilities may seem, true progression comes from escaping your comfort zone. Use your online calendar to set goals and make plans that will help you move forward.
You can learn a lot from people who are different from you. Not everyone is a free spirit, and not everyone wants to be. However, you can learn good things from them by looking at the positive traits they exhibit.
Hunter Meine
Hunter Meine is a BYU-Idaho graduate, husband, father, and writer. When he's not writing, he's playing sports or enjoying the outdoors with his wife and daughter.