Susie, I thank you for calling me out when I am not intellectually honest. It might be better to substitute for "productively" with "to our highest benefit and greatest enjoyment."
I came across a challenging and thought provoking question that you might enjoy playing with.
"How do you intend to use your life?"
This phrase "time affluent" gets me to thinking how I can spend my time, as I've thought about how I can spend my money, on what's important to me. Since I intend to live a really long, healthy, purposeful life I think that paying closer attention to my time affluence will be valuable. Thanks for the nudge.
All your pieces are wonderfully clear and direct. They are a pleasure to read. I do take issue, however, with "As Americans, we live in a culture that provides us no guidance on how to spend leisure time productively." I think the whole point of "leisure time" is not to be under any pressure to be productive. There are ways of spending time that or more nourishing to the soul than others but I don't think there should be any demand to have something to show for it.
Great post, Don! After 10 years of retirement (as of June 1, 2023), I am finally learning how to use my time affluence in ways that bring me peace and joy! I start each day with a cup of coffee and a scroll through emails, digital news, and Facebook (not doomscrolling, but connecting with friends and family, and watching videos). At the same time, I'm mentally planning my day. I often write in the morning (new poem or essay) or decide whether and what to submit to a publication. I also take care of business in the morning (bill paying, writing meeting minutes, etc.) while my brain is at its peak. At the moment, my focus is on redecorating my home, room by room. So, I decide what room I'll tackle and spend maybe 2 hours working on that. I do volunteer with several organizations that have monthly meetings. The rest of the day is spent on whatever floats my boat. It might be reading or shopping with my aunt, or cooking a special meal. At night, for relaxation, I play games on my phone (word games, puzzle games, and Solitaire).
I pace myself each day, and I end the day in gratitude for whatever I accomplished and no guilt over what didn't get done.
For a long while (after I retired and the family was raised) I had this gnawing sense that I wasn't productive enough. When you've spent decades being time poor and trying to squeeze so much into so little, it's hard to change. After some practice I learned that it was okay to devote some time to just me (and not chores)...naps, reading, writing, whatever feels right at the moment. And I never have to clock out to do it!
I perceive a difference between using time and filling up time. When I retired from paid work, I chose volunteer jobs that would be both fun and meaningful. At home, I treat myself as my #1 client, using time to personally benefit me in some way, either practically or for my general well-being. The latter would include meeting with friends, reading good books, napping, and studying languages on line.
Susie, I thank you for calling me out when I am not intellectually honest. It might be better to substitute for "productively" with "to our highest benefit and greatest enjoyment."
Me too. Maybe we should form a support group.
Doomscrolling is a counterproductive use of time if ever there was one. I'm working on it.
I came across a challenging and thought provoking question that you might enjoy playing with.
"How do you intend to use your life?"
This phrase "time affluent" gets me to thinking how I can spend my time, as I've thought about how I can spend my money, on what's important to me. Since I intend to live a really long, healthy, purposeful life I think that paying closer attention to my time affluence will be valuable. Thanks for the nudge.
It's hard to retrain ourselves from ingrained habits. I'm glad you got there!
And thank you, Kit, for adding more thought-provoking questions to the conversation.
Wendl, that is so much more productive than doomscrolling. Nice work!
What an excellent routine! Good that you have the discipline to make it work. I'm inspired by your example.
All your pieces are wonderfully clear and direct. They are a pleasure to read. I do take issue, however, with "As Americans, we live in a culture that provides us no guidance on how to spend leisure time productively." I think the whole point of "leisure time" is not to be under any pressure to be productive. There are ways of spending time that or more nourishing to the soul than others but I don't think there should be any demand to have something to show for it.
Great post, Don! After 10 years of retirement (as of June 1, 2023), I am finally learning how to use my time affluence in ways that bring me peace and joy! I start each day with a cup of coffee and a scroll through emails, digital news, and Facebook (not doomscrolling, but connecting with friends and family, and watching videos). At the same time, I'm mentally planning my day. I often write in the morning (new poem or essay) or decide whether and what to submit to a publication. I also take care of business in the morning (bill paying, writing meeting minutes, etc.) while my brain is at its peak. At the moment, my focus is on redecorating my home, room by room. So, I decide what room I'll tackle and spend maybe 2 hours working on that. I do volunteer with several organizations that have monthly meetings. The rest of the day is spent on whatever floats my boat. It might be reading or shopping with my aunt, or cooking a special meal. At night, for relaxation, I play games on my phone (word games, puzzle games, and Solitaire).
I pace myself each day, and I end the day in gratitude for whatever I accomplished and no guilt over what didn't get done.
For a long while (after I retired and the family was raised) I had this gnawing sense that I wasn't productive enough. When you've spent decades being time poor and trying to squeeze so much into so little, it's hard to change. After some practice I learned that it was okay to devote some time to just me (and not chores)...naps, reading, writing, whatever feels right at the moment. And I never have to clock out to do it!
I perceive a difference between using time and filling up time. When I retired from paid work, I chose volunteer jobs that would be both fun and meaningful. At home, I treat myself as my #1 client, using time to personally benefit me in some way, either practically or for my general well-being. The latter would include meeting with friends, reading good books, napping, and studying languages on line.