[Guest Blogger] Remember to Make Time for Fun

At the end of the year, I usually reflect back on what I accomplished, whether I’m happy, and where I want to be next year. For me, 2014 was a very busy year filled with travel commitments, publishing deadlines, and starting a new business. It felt like I was working seven days a week – weekends, evenings, mornings, and afternoons. I enjoy my work very much and really wanted to reach my goals by year end, but at what cost? If we end the year feeling burned out then what good are we?

When you’re self-employed, you don’t have the same structure in your day as someone who works a conventional 9 to 5 job. Carving out time for fun requires discipline. It begins by establishing Time Rules. This is about the quality of your choices and your commitment to them. Plan ‘work’ days, ‘buffer’ days, and ‘free’ days into your schedule. Work days are for focusing all of your energy into what you do best – your main job. Buffer days are for loose ends like dealing with tech bugs, social media updating, paying bills, making appointments, and returning emails. Free days are for experiencing pure fun like holidays, vacations, party celebrations, sleeping in, nesting at home, trying new recipes, and shopping without a list. On free days, you simply unplug and have fun. That means no technology. When you make a commitment in your calendar to have free days you allow yourself to be free to experience what is.

Here’s a list of fun things to try in 2015:

• Learn to play a musical instrument like the piano, the guitar or maybe even the trombone.
• Read an old classic such as Little Women, Gone with the Wind, or The Grapes of Wrath.
• Go mountain climbing, hiking or take a long forest walk.
• Attend an open mic night at the local comedy club and meet new people.
• Put on crazy hats, big glasses and feather masks. Then crowd your family into one of those mall photo booths for a fun picture you’ll always treasure.
• Gather a few friends together and play soccer, basketball, bocce ball, or miniature golf.
• Learn a new language. Then plan a trip to practice your new skill in a foreign country.
• Instead of walking the neighborhood, try skipping and galloping. You may get some funny looks, but you can chuckle too while burning major calories!
• Go roller skating and bring back this wonderful childhood memory!
• Try a new look ~ cut your hair, color your hair, or get hair extensions. Donate your old clothes and then treat yourself to some colorful, hip, modern clothes that will make you feel young again.
• Take a train ride to a town that you’ve never visited. When you arrive, explore the village and see what you can find that’s fun and new.
• Try a new sport like kayaking, surfing, sailing, skiing, paragliding or even raising honey-bees.
• Go camping! Take a portable stove, sleeping bag, and a small tent and leave technology behind.

Whatever you decide to do in 2015, be sure to carve out time in your schedule to have fun, to laugh a hearty laugh, or just to be silly every once in a while.

Happy New Year!

About Gale

Gale O’Brien is a cancer survivor, motivational speaker and the award-winning author of Transformation: Creating an Exceptional Life in the Face of Cancer. Transform your life each month with timely tips on food, health, fitness, relationships, travel, and art. Subscribe to the Transformation monthly newsletter or order the book by visiting: www.galeobrien.com.