Our days are full of schedules and to do lists.
We have them in both our work and personal life.
Days are spent transitioning between the schedules and lists.
When we do have a minute to take a breath, we often fill the time with a screen of some type.
This was captured well in the quote below. The full blog post is here.
“Of course, as we race to fill in every moment with swiping, surfing, and clicking, it’s easy to forget that we’re allowed to leave some blank spaces. In fact, not just allowed, but if we want to live well, required.”
Seth Godin
My Story
Studying my own time over the years, I’ve seen that there is no plan when blank space opens.
So, the time is filled with my phone, computer, or TV.
In the past few years, I have made changes to try to scroll less and enjoy the blank spaces.
Here are some strategies that have worked for me:
Scheduling – About five years ago, I started scheduling “blank space” time. Moments where I could dive into a project, go on an adventure, or do something that would bring me joy. There need to be boundaries with this time, or it will disappear, but keeping the time can bring magic.
Not Scheduling – Doing the opposite of scheduling, sometimes a moment to just sit with empty space. Journal. Look out a window. Think. Don’t think. Do nothing.
Kindle – Placing the kindle app front and center on the phone. When the inevitable long wait occurs, I now go for a good book instead of mindless scrolling social media.
Joy List – This list is a reminder of things we love. These could be activities like puzzles, photography, going for a bike ride, doodling, etc. A reminder of the things we enjoy doing can be the nudge needed to do something different.
Someday Maybe List – This idea comes from the Getting Things Done process. This list contains ideas that you want to do, but you don’t have time right now. When some space opens, something from this list might be just the right fit.
Your Turn
Do you have blank space in your days?
What do you do when a few minutes suddenly appear?
Have you tried any of the strategies above and, if so, did they work for you?