Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with freetime

I'm tired of being tired!

The Winsome Parker Lewis — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:53:03 -0800

What are some easy ways to get more energy and motivation? Lifestyle-specific details inside. I wake up at 4:45 every weekday morning and snooze until 5:15. Originally I did this because I thought I could trick myself into thinking I was sleeping in, but now I think maybe it's just a bad habit. I leave at 6:00am and commute two hours to work, work from 8:00 to 5:00, and commute two hours home, arriving at 7:00pm. By the time I get home, I'm exhausted and have just enough energy to make dinner, eat, and go to bed at 10:00. Every weekday it's the same.

When the weekend comes, I tell myself that I finally have some free time I can use to live a little, but I end up sleeping in instead, fooling around doing nothing in particular on the computer, and not getting out of the house.

Fortunately my wonderful fiancee makes sure I don't neglect her or my responsibilities, and she tries to keep me moving. But I just don't feel the self-motivation from within that I had once upon a time, and I miss that. I want to pursue hobbies in my spare time, but I feel like I have no spare time. I want to get back in shape. I want to start (and finish) projects. I want to recultivate old friendships and have company over for games and dinners and movies. I want to try new things and have adventures, like I used to do. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut.

How do I stop feeling exhausted all the time? The good news is, I'm moving much closer to work soon, which ought to help a lot. Apart from that, I'm looking for energy and motivation hacks. Any special habits I can form, or foods I can eat, or stretches I can do? Time is at a premium right now, and since I'm saving up for marriage and a honeymoon in May, so is money. Help me find some vigor to tackle my schedule and get the most out of life again!

Have Girlfriend, Will Travel (Too Much)

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:27:09 -0800

How do I express the need for more 'me time' with my girlfriend? I've been with my girlfriend for seven months, and I love her very much. I'm a recluse, and she is an outgoing opposite. While I need very little attention to feel loved, she drinks affection like water. (She has admitted to abandonment anxiety in her life, which may or may not be relevant.) The standard formula up to now has been any mutually free time that can be spent together, is. This has worked for me because she works two jobs, often requiring her to work nights. I secretly crave these nights, because time to myself always feels like it's at a premium. At the same time, this is a horrible, horrible feeling to have, because I am taking joy in a schedule that is killing her soul and destroying her sanity, and despite the tone of this question, I do enjoy the time I spend with her.

This month, she worked up the guts to negotiate a more sensible schedule with her boss, and to our surprise, got what she wanted. She now has all (or almost all) evenings free. We're still on the old modus operandi, so I've spent almost every minute after my work with her. I realise now I have no ability to express my need for nights alone, because her old hectic schedule made that unnecessary.

Also, I buckle under any perceived tension. I'm a total wet noodle. She employs a number of things, such as a pouty tone, Catholic Guilt(TM), and crying (over anything from 'you raised your voice' to 'I forgot milkshakes have lactose intolerant-unfriendly ingredients'). I try to avoid all that. Unfortunately, I do it to such an extreme that I can't say no to her, and I even propose spending time together when I don't want to, just so I don't look like I'm avoiding her. So in a sense, we're both responsible for my lack of personal time: she wants my time, and I give it unconditionally.

I'm not sure if this is personal selfishness, but from my perspective, if I don't get an evening or two to myself, I'll be the anxious, overworked one in the relationship, not she. This is a highly negative spin on what is otherwise a positive thing in my life, but it's how I feel. Am I wrong to think this way?

If I'm being reasonable, I know I need to say something to her. I don't know what, and I don't know how. How can I express this need for free time in an uninsulting way? And how do I not buckle?

As a mini-question, we would like to move in together when our leases expire in nine months. Hopefully at that time, this question will become moot, replaced with another. I swear I've seen Ask MeFi questions about managing 'me time' with a live-in, but I couldn't find any. Could someone point it/them out?

Wii Games for the one-handed?

donut — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:25:13 -0800

Wii Games for the one-handed: I broke my wrist last friday and now I have plenty of free time. Can anyone recommend some good games for the wii which don't involve very much movement and can be controlled only by the wiimote (and don't need the nunchuk)? Thanks. :)

Cheap fun things for the weekend

lilyflower — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:01:34 -0800

What cheap/free things can a couple do for fun during afternoons/evenings/weekends? My husband and I are currently saving and have a small budget left over for fun (£100p/m or $150p/m). We are struggling for ideas on what we can do together that doesn't involve spending much if any money. We would like ideas on what we can do as a couple that is cheap or free in our spare time, which can be afternoons, evenings and weekends. For info we live in a flat (no garden) in a town (Hampshire, UK) and have a car to get around in. I would like us to have a balance of going out and staying in, always been in makes me restless!

So far I can think of picnics, going to the beach, walking in the woods, mini golf, flying a kite, body boarding when the waves are right (very infrequently), board games, cards, computer games, cycling, reading, listening to music, ... and then I get stuck for ideas! May seem like a lot, but it is starting to get a bit repetitive.

We aren't too fond of team sports, avoid crowded places, and prefer to be in places where children typically aren't!

Please help us so that we can save but still have a nice time together.

How should I use my free time constructively?

btkuhn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:42:40 -0800

How should I use my free time constructively? I'm going to be living away from home for about two/three months for a work project. Because of the living situation, I will be pretty much isolated from other people most of the time, so I'm going to have a lot of free time alone. I will be working for about 40 hours a week, but that will be my only time drain. I'm not used to having almost any free time at all, so this is going to be a radical change. I won't have a TV, and I'll have a computer but only sporadic internet access. I already run/exercise, so I will be keeping that up, but otherwise, my days are wide open.

I'd like to use my free time to do something useful, I just don't know what. I've seen these previous questions on askmefi: 1, 2, 3 , which provide some ideas...but nothing that sticks out at me. I will be taking a stack of books that I've been meaning to read, as well as a programming book that I've been using to teach myself programming.

I'm looking for practical ideas as well as oddball ones. Right now I'm thinking of picking up some unusual skill like juggling and devoting a LOT of time to it, so when I get home and my friends ask what I did while I was gone I can just pick up nine burning torches and start juggling...but I'm not that creative so juggling is the best I can come up with.

Fun and money required

djgh — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:04:42 -0800

Eight months out - how to have fun and earn money - preferably abroad? I'm based in the UK, and from about July I should have around eight months out to do my own thing.

Where can I go, and what can I do whereby I can have fun and earn money at the same time? For example, in the winter months I could work in a ski resort in North America or Europe, so ski and earn.

What reputable websites etc. have tons of good info on this - I've Googled, but with a ton of options I'd like a recommendation as to a good site.

What should I be looking to do in the next few months to prepare? (e.g. visas, brush up on language skills etc.)

Any other thoughts? I'd really like to make this time as awesome and varied as possible, and I'm not looking to make huge amounts of cash - essentially enough to live and to save for my next ticket somewhere.

free me from my free time

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:48:59 -0800

How should I use my copious amounts of free time while being poor in a country where nobody understands me? Background: I am working in a foreign country. I get paid but only enough to get by. I am not legally allowed to get another job. The nature of my work means that I work two or three full days a week but have the other days free. I am here with my partner who has the same type of job.

I want to go out (or stay in) and do fun things but, with my almost non-existent budget, it is difficult to find activities in my price range. I feel that on my free days, I end up sitting and refreshing metafilter and other webpages instead of actually doing anything.

I have investigated the expat community but most of them are into the bar and club scene which I really can't afford. I don't know the language well enough to communicate effectively (ie: not sounding like a five-year-old) with citizens of the country (and, considering the short period of time that I'll be here, am unlikely to learn a sufficient amount). My partner and I go out to explore the city but my partner has different days off (and , of course, I don't want to rely on my partner for all of my entertainment).

So, I feel totally lame because I am in this foreign country where I should be running around and having a good time but, instead, am inside refreshing the internet and moping. I'm sure there's culture shock going on here but I feel like if I had things to do to keep myself busy I'd be happier and more at ease.

Things that I already do: exercise 45 minutes a day, cook, force myself to get out of bed and walk down random streets and look at things.

Anon because I feel like a jackass being in a cool foreign country and being incapable of enjoying myself.

What to do with 20 hrs. a week (in Boston)?

losvedir — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:48:46 -0800

What would you do with 20 hours a week in Boston? I'm starting a part-time job next week which is enough to cover my living expenses, so I'm looking for suggestions on what I can do with the rest of my time: hobbies to take up, part time jobs, volunteer opportunities, etc. I feel very fortunate to be in the position I am in now. After graduating in June from my university here, I'm easing into the "real world" via an exciting part time job in the finance industry (whew boy...) which will cover my expenses and let me save a little, too. The job will hopefully move to full-time in the next year, so until then I have a large chunk of time on my hands that I'm not sure what to do with.

I'm open to anything, really. Now is the time to sell me on your pet cause. Live somewhere in Boston that's really dirty and thought to yourself, "Hmm, if only there was someone who would come here every day for four hours and pick up trash, this place would be lovely!"? Think animal shelters are woefully understaffed? Soup kitchens need people?

I'm not entirely opposed to making money, either... I get Starbucks enough I've toyed with becoming a barista so I know what it's like on the other side of the counter. If you work at a bookstore do you get to read books as much as it seems you would?

Or maybe I could spend the time honing some skill I'm sorely missing. Would I be just that much cooler if I were good at painting/ukulele/whittling/knitting/etc? Do I need to learn another language?

So, M-F after noon I'm free. I can program. I enjoy writing. I'm good with numbers. What should I do!?

(My first question to metafilter; please be gentle! MeFites who haven't paid the $5 yet can e-mail me at my username at gmail)

Thanks!

What to do with 25 mins of extra free time every day?

KateHasQuestions — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:18:19 -0800

I moved closer to work. What can I do with the 25 minutes of extra free time that I will have due to the shorter commute? I would like to make sure that the 25 minutes of extra free time do not just go to waste (such as wasting my time online).

Here are some things that I already do once in a while:

guitar, piano, reading, crocheting, working out.

I would like some *new* ideas of what I can do for 25 mins a day that are fun and/or useful and good for me.

How to spend a minute of free time?

macsigler — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:20:29 -0800

I work at a call center, and have very short breaks in between calls, but it's frequent enough to get a little boring. What kind of productive ideas do you all have for something I could do? I've tried reading a book, but unless it's very simple with not too many words on the page, it's easy to lose my place.
I'm not a good artist. I can't really think of anything to write about.
I can't do homework that's very technical (i.e. math/science) since I get interrupted by the calls halfway into the problem.

Any ideas?

Freedom! Horrible freedom!

ajp — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:01:19 -0800

How do I automate the mundane aspects my life? So far, I've got a few things that keep the mundane parts of my life ticking over nicely, without my having to think about them too much, if at all. Some examples:

1. Like many people, I have a checking account (for paying rent, bills, etc), a savings account, and a spending account. Regular automated debits from the checking account enter my savings and spendings accounts. When I use an ATM, I use my spending account card, and I can see exactly how much cash I have for the month. I usually keep my cash allowance for the week in my wallet. Most of my bills and rent are direct debit, and I track shared payments with IOweYou.co.uk. Consequently, I have very little thinking to do in terms of personal finance (as long as I keep things simple).

2. Any and every appointment or reminder goes into my phone's calendar. My phone then reminds me of meetings, birthdays, etc.

3. I cycle whenever I can. This means I don't have to think about scheduling specific time for basic keep-fit exercise.

4. I'm doing a college course. Currently I carry around a set of flash cards wherever I go, so I get to do some useful revision in the "dead time" spent sitting on the bus. (Before the college course, it was a book of sudoku puzzles).

What other similar things do people do? I'm not looking for a "framework" like GTD or tickler files; I'm looking for specific examples of processes that run themselves, or habits that people introduce that allow them to make the most of their day.

I'm sure this question will have been asked here before, but I only managed to find details of implementing tickler files, GTD, and so on.

2007 is Quarterlife Crisis year at AskMe!

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 09:17:48 -0800

I just left Teach for America....and I think I might be professionally ineffective for the rest of my life Before anyone launches into a searing tirade about my inability to uphold commitments and how heartless I am....please don't. The TFA staff has already done a great job for you, so that would really be pretty useless, and it's got little to do with the actual question I've got. No one who joins the program thinks they'll step into their classroom and have an easy time, and I certainly didn't think I would. And yes, I know I should have done more research about any potential work situation (although I wish I'd had a say in my school placement), and I've learned to do that. So I'm learning from the experience, and looking towards the future.

But in that regard, I'm worried that after this experience, I'm never going to be professionally ambitious or really, usable at all in the workplace again. Currently, my only requirements for a new job are:

1. No one threatening physical harm, or actually trying to assault me or the other people in my workplace
2. A workplace whose management can take effective action regarding people who threaten violence
3. A work situation that doesn't result in a daily half-hour crying jag. Yes, I know that's a mindset issue; I'm working on it, but it didn't happen before, and it doesn't happen now.
4. A wage that doesn't require my dipping into savings to get by on the monthly bills. (Normally, a childless unmarried teacher would be okay, but post-NCLB we had to pay for our own credentialing to keep our jobs; being under 24 with no prior full-time, permanent job meant the credentialing program rejected my trying to file for aid as an independent student, and since summer training is unpaid, I didn't have any summer earnings to help with the credentialing tuition, my parents couldn't help after helping with four years of college, and Americorps awards for are only applicable to federal loans and are given at the END of your service anyway...it was something of a bureaucratic nightmare.)

I know that as far as job-searching goes, I should be looking for things like, "room for advancement," or "opportunity to learn new skills," but those just seem like frills that I'd be lucky to have, and I feel selfish for wanting those things when there are millions of kids who are still in the sorts of schools I taught in, especially when the poor state of said schools has been facilitated by yours truly. Anyhow, you could argue that those criteria for a new job indicate that I've got a confidence/guilt issue now, and that I am probably very burned out.

I'm lucky to have enough money saved up not to worry about living expenses for several months, and I had the sense to take care of the health insurance issue immediately. I don't want to travel and possibly end up in another situation all alone and crying (say, when my passport is stolen in Prague). Besides, I like being close to my non-TFA friends here.

So my actual question is: what can I do for the next few months while I job search to regain my confidence and make myself emotionally and mentally ready for the workplace again? Could anyone recommend some good short-term endeavors that would help me ease back into a working state, and provide some perspective on life?

How do I productively fill my free time?

Willie0248 — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 09:34:09 -0800

I suddenly find myself with excessive amounts of free time. What are some fulfilling and productive ways to fill it? I've somewhat successfully whittled away most of the wasted time that usually filled my days. Good for me!

However, I never thought too far ahead with the project. What do I do with these shiny new blocks of free time? My typical daily schedule includes classes, work, and exercise, with my social life addressed in the evenings and weekends. How can I significantly improve my life through the proper use of my free time?

There are a couple of nuances to the situation. First, my work hours are unpredictable and tend to take priority over any other activity when they are required, though they never occur later than 7:00pm and never on weekends. Second, I live in deep rural Texas. It is necessary for me to live here while I finish my Master's degree, but in the meantime there isn't much here of which to take advatage.

I want to be healthy and happy again.

stormygrey — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 06:03:17 -0800

I am quitting my day job? What kinds of things should I indulge in or good habits should I pick up before I go back to school in fall? A little background, I work in a rather awful museum/nonprofit kind of place where the boss man is miserable and tries to make everyone else miserable. I dread coming to work in the morning, it makes my skin crawl, my stomach turn, my teeth grind. I sit at my desk seething half the day. I have packed on 15 lbs in the last year and greatly increased my smoking habit (5 smokes a day to almost a pack and a half)

I started working in a bar at night to save some money so I can quit. I will work from 8-5 and be absolutely exhaustive, then go straight to the bar and work till 3 and be absolutely happy and glowing. So, I decided that something has to break as my hair is falling out.

I am going to finish my Ph.D as that is what I have always wanted to do, but I have a little break. I want to get happy and healthy, break all the bad habits that these two very stressfull years have embedded.

So far I want to: quit smoking, start at the gym again, walk my dog, work on my landscaping, go ahead and start learning German again. This may be one of the last times in my life when I regularly have day time to do what I want. So what should I do. I live in Atlanta if that matters.

What are your recommendations for fantasy stock exchange websites?

tozturk — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 16:23:23 -0800

What are the best mock stock exchange websites out there? What ones are to be avoided? A few days ago I joined the Hollywood Stock Exchange and I am finding it to be quite fun - minus the thousand ads. I'm looking for sites similar to that - it can be for the real financial markets or for other "fluff" things.