Author Topic: How Do You Make Time for Fun?  (Read 4505 times)

Retired To Win

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How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« on: August 14, 2014, 02:49:02 PM »
I am "retired to win" -- and in large part to me that means being retired to have fun and enjoy myself.  I definitely have the discretionary cash flow to spend on that.  And I should have the time to go spend the money.  But until recently I have had a problem allowing myself the time to have fun.  If I just go with the flow, I default to "productive" use of my time.  Having fun gets pushed aside.  But I have finally found a way to overcome that.  And here it is.

It seems as if I have always lived by the daily planner and the to-do list.  And I can see that being retired is not changing that.  So, instead of fighting it, I am using that ingrained habit to make sure I do have fun -- instead of always reaching for the next chore that needs doing.  I am scheduling  time for fun.

I still plan my week day by day.  But now I plan  fun time into each day.  Productive time is limited to the morning (8am to noon) and late afternoon (5:30pm to 7pm).  In between, I now have given myself a daily scheduled   five-hour-plus time block for fun.  And on my weekly planner, I plan ahead what I will do for fun during each of those five-hour-plus blocks.

I have also extended the scheduled-fun-time idea so that I now have a designated fully free day each week, a 3-day get away time block each month, and a week-long trip block every 3 months.  Scheduling the free time this way "forces" me to make a plan for what to do, where to go, and how much of my discretionary funds to spend.

Is this working?  Yes, as long as I follow the planning process.  If I fail to plan my fun out, the time fritters away and I fall back to the chore doing and paper shuffling.  So this is a work in progress for me.

How do YOU make sure that you get time for fun?
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Mrs. Frugalwoods

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2014, 02:55:33 PM »
Oh wow--I need to take your advice ASAP! I am always in the "am I being productive?" trap, which mostly works 'cause I gots lots to do. But then when those blissful free hours roll around, I'm hesitant to surrender to ....FUN! Scheduling fun would totally work for my organized, analytical (hyper!) brain.

enpower

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2014, 09:19:32 PM »
I find having a commitment (i.e master swimming group) which I know will be on a certain time each week easier to find time to do it. If you actually make the commitment and sign up for it, you will be suprised how much extra time you will find in the week. Everything else still generally gets done but I manage to fit in 3x swim trainings a week now.

I also do this with a hiking group every 2nd Sunday which I thought I'd never have time for.

By making a commitment to do these things, I find you are more efficient with the time you have remaining.

Russ

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2014, 09:27:01 PM »
I just don't do anything that's not fun.

mak1277

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2014, 05:21:08 AM »
I just don't do anything that's not fun.

Yeah this.  I'm not RE yet, but I plan to be as unproductive as possible when I get there. I know this is of no help to OP though, because it's a personality difference.  For me, scheduling anything (including "fun") feels too much like work to me. When I'm on vacation or a weekend, I pretty much do what I want in any given moment.

matchewed

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2014, 05:29:42 AM »
I just don't do anything that's not fun.

Yup

MayDay

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2014, 05:32:11 AM »
I have trouble with this. There is an added element that I have two young kids. Somehow the work (cooking, maintaining house, cleaning, laundry) fills all the time.

I haven't figured out a solution yet, other than downsize to a smaller house so less maintenance, and sell older cars and buy new (not going to actually do this!) To lower time spent on car related issues.

SomedayStache

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2014, 08:37:02 AM »
Retired to Win you may have just saved my life, marriage, and sanity.

I cannot find time to have fun with my family.  I'm at work all day, then dinner with kids, getting kids ready for bed, doing the bare minimum of chores to keep our 1700 sq ft. house somewhat brown recluse free, and then falling into bed.  Rinse repeat, except on the weekend there are more chores and more whining as my spouse works and I'm home alone with the kids.

The spouse manages to somehow relax and have fun.  I just.can't.do.it.  I look around and see only dishes, floors, laundry, long undone projects. Sometimes I go to bed at the same time as my kids because the chores are overwhelming and at least sleep is a task I can complete.

The only fun I've had in a long time is a weekly ladies night.  I leave the house and don't have responsibilities for a few hours.  I hardly ever go out with friends otherwise because there's no time and too many chores that need doing.  Yet I manage to make this weekly ladies night precisely because it is scheduled.

Scheduling fun time.

It sounds so un-fun, but may be the only way I can manage to have fun at my house, with my family.

Thank you!

Zikoris

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2014, 10:57:38 AM »
I make my apartment a fun place to be. In additional to actual toys - frisbee, stick-ums, cat toys, etc - I try to make regular day-to-day stuff more fun. Baking, for example, is really fun when you have bright rainbow mixing bowls and neon measuring cups and spoons designed to look freakishly huge (while still holding the normal amount). Everything's more fun when you've got a good music playlist to go along with it.

We also joined a few meetup groups (including a local Mustachian one!), which gives us a steady supply of events and things to go to that don't require planning or organizing on our part.

windawake

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Re: How Do You Make Time for Fun?
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2014, 11:17:21 AM »
I don't have problems having fun. During the week, I have fun walking my dog twice a day, biking to and from work, cooking/eating dinner, and usually meeting up with friends in the evening. Even things that aren't necessarily fun, like finishing my master's thesis, I make fun by working at my favorite coffee shop where I know tons of people. Chores in my 950 sqft apartment take negligible time each week and mostly happen on Sundays while enjoyably listening to music or podcasts.

I have trouble preventing myself from getting overwhelmed from all the fun things I have on my calendar - kickball, capture the flag, biking happy hours, dance events, birthday parties, floating at the beach, block parties, art festivals, cabin/camping weekends, live music, dog park visits, hiking. I seriously don't understand how people have time to watch movies or TV with all the fun things happening in the world.

However, I'm young and live in the city with a lot of friends. Plus, this is Minnesota and summer is like that. Bright, glorious, brimming with fun.

 

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