You Have More Time Than You Think
Despite how busy you feel, I still would bet that you have white space in your days. It might not be much. It might truly be just minutes here and seconds there, but what if that still counts for something?
While not as frequent as it was pre-pandemic, waiting still exists sometimes - in the lobby of your doctor’s office or in the parking lot of your grocery pick-up, in line at the drive-thru, or in a zoom room while you wait on colleagues to join a call.
It also exists in the school pickup line (or as you walk to school in my case), in the bathroom while your kids finish playing in the tub, or as you impatiently wait for the water to boil so you can get dinner on the table.
Sometimes white space is so brief that just having those few extra seconds to close your eyes or take a deep breath is all it allows. (Those seconds are glorious. Don’t ever let them pass you by.)
But other times, those minutes actually add up to a decent amount of time. Time that we so often waste.
How?
By not recognizing it as precious.
When you’re so “busy” filling your time, wanting to “check in” by reaching for your phone, or trying to “keep up” with chores by picking up the same toys over and over again, it passes you by.
And you don’t even realize you're doing it.
What To Look For
Think about last week. How much white space did you have? How many times were you waiting?
I bet, on average, I wait somewhere around 15 minutes a day total (all snippets combined). Some days more, like on days when I have an appointment, some days less, like when activities and transitions happen back to back with no time in between.
But if 15 minutes is average, and I spread that across even just the work week, that’s 75 minutes of white space each week.
What could you do with an “extra” hour and 15 minutes?
I could think of a ton of things. Sure, it’s not in one block of time, but it’s still time. Something that we claim to never have enough of.
Time that you could chip away at a project or a goal.
Time that you could spend learning something new.
Time doing something fun.
What does it actually look like to harness those small blocks of white space throughout the week?
Here are some ideas - some for if you have your phone, and a few for if you don’t:
1. LISTEN TO A FEW MINUTES OF A PODCAST OR AUDIOBOOK
Whether it’s to learn something new, laugh, be in suspense or just listen to a really interesting conversation, escape for those few minutes by tuning out the world and tuning into something you enjoy.
2. READ AN eBOOK
I love my local library app and almost always have a digital book on my phone at the ready. Those random moments here and there where I’m waiting are some of the best opportunities for me to reach my reading goal each year. Plus, I feel so much better reading than I do scrolling social media.
3. CLEAN UP YOUR INBOX
Delete emails, especially promotional ones, or better yet unsubscribe! You don’t have to get to inbox zero but you can chip away at that goal of a beautifully cleaned out inbox 5 minutes at a time.
4. BACK UP AND CLEAN OUT PHOTOS
Speaking of getting organized, why not spend a few minutes deleting blurry photos and keeping only the ones you want to revisit again and again. This is one of my go-to activities!
5. DRAFT YOUR GROCERY LIST OR VIRTUALLY SHOP FOR PICK-UP/DELIVERY
There is no better way to feel like you’re really maximizing your time than to do your meal planning and/or online grocery shopping in small increments throughout the week so come Saturday morning (or whenever you do your shopping), it’s already done. Talk about feeling like you’ve got it together!
6. PLAN SOMETHING FUN
Research fun activities, new-to-you parks or restaurants or upcoming activities to get you excited and motivated to schedule something out of your ordinary routine. Don’t just dream about it, put it on the calendar and make it happen. It only takes a few minutes.
If you happen to be without your phone, or you’re like me and you don’t trust yourself to stay off social media, try one of these ideas the next time you’re waiting with a few minutes to spare:
7. PRACTICE A QUICK MEDITATION
Whether that’s with the insight timer app or just closing your eyes as you count your breaths in and out, use those few minutes for some extra calm in your day.
8. WRITE A LETTER OR CARD
This requires you to have stationary on hand, but that’s usually pretty simple if you carry a purse or a tote. Prepare a birthday card, write a thank-you letter or send a note to a friend just because. Doing something kind and unexpected for others always feels good.
9. DO A THOUGHT DOWNLOAD
This is just another way of saying, write. Spend a couple of minutes writing down what you’re thinking, how your day is going, what you’re worried about. Getting it down on paper instantly feels like you’ve offloaded a heavy weight.
10. READ A REAL BOOK
If digital books aren’t your thing, it wouldn’t hurt to carry a real book around so you can make your way through the latest novel a couple pages at a time. Or if it won’t fit in your purse, stash it in your car for those times you arrive at an appointment a little early (yeah, right!).
Let’s face it, you’re a working mom and life and schedules are pretty full for the time being. But don’t overlook the moments of white space sprinkled throughout your week. Added up, they can create some pretty impactful shifts and progress in your life if you choose to use them productively.
Wouldn’t it be cool to say that you read a few books this year? Or that your inbox is completely organized? Or that you’ve had your longest meditation streak ever? All just by recognizing the white space that you have and being more purposeful with how you use it.
And if you choose to use those few minutes just to close your eyes and breathe, well I fully support that too.
In the current round of Beyond Balance this has been a topic we’ve been tackling - how to be more mindful of and intentional with how you use your time, especially those “in-between” moments. The ideas, validation, and accountability happening within the group is magical. If you’d like to be the first to know when the next round opens, join the waitlist here.