Ten Ways to Waste Your Time This Summer
Photo credit: Pixabay
“Every moment is an opportunity to grow yourself.” Ugh. Growth—it’s a commendable pursuit, and also an exhausting one. I’m a coach and trainer—I support people on their life journey—yet I occasionally think, “Enough! Does every action need to be an explicit exercise to grow ourselves?” Sometimes I want to do nothing—waste my time—and not feel guilty about it.
So consider this a public service announcement just in time for summer: a list of things to do that are solely designed to “waste time.”
Walk when you could have driven: As comedian Steven Wright aptly said, “Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”
Watch the clouds: Daydreaming optional (although impossible to resist).
Ride a bike to nowhere: With no destination in mind, hop on your bike (alone or with family or friends) and go; anywhere (but nowhere in particular).
Re-watch old movies: And reserve judgment.
Read a fluffy (maybe even trashy) book: Without caring who knows it.
Go where you would not usually go: Driving by a little league game? Drop in to watch a couple innings. That dirt road? The one you’ve wondered where it went? Take it.
Visit a museum, pick a piece, and stare at it uninterrupted for 10 minutes: Dare you to try.
Sit on a park bench: Quietly listen; if you’re lucky, you might catch the sound of kids playing.
Have a long conversation: Have a really long conversation with an older relative about absolutely nothing.
Discover something “purpose adjacent”: If you’re reading this far you’re likely a goal-oriented, growth-seeking individual. Wasting time on something that doesn’t deliver directly on your goals might feel distracting. Yet, we can find fun, newness (and maybe that growth) by finding and doing that thing that is just a bit in a different direction than you intended. These adjacencies are everywhere if you look (sometimes appearing as a “waste of time”). Be open to see these.
What might you discover from wasting time? The things we think are worthy of our time sometimes aren’t; and things that sound pointless turn out to be something else entirely. But you won’t know until you waste some time determining which are which. And that’s just what I’m going to do. I wonder what I’ll discover?
Notes:
Too “busy” to waste time? Check out this previous post.
Find more (longer) insights on the Forty-Two Consulting “Thinking Out Loud” blog
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