Make Time, Even When You Don’t Have Any

Why don’t you do more of what you enjoy? "I just haven't got any time – between classes, assignments, and clubs, I barely get 8 hours of sleep, let alone time to [insert hobby here]."

Really, reader? Is that really all you do? Study, sleep, and attend a couple of extra-curricular events a week? Are you sure you didn't binge-watch the last season of Breaking Bad the first instance you had a few hours of free time? Okay, I'll stop with the questions and get to the point. I've got the exact same problem that you do. I never have any time to try new things. I've compiled a list of ways that have helped me – and might help you – make time for the things that you love. No excuses, people. All of my suggestions take a bit of effort, but in the long run, it'll be worth it. 1. Wake up earlier than you normally would, and do what you can’t fit into your regular day then. 2. Make time before bed. My 10-minutes-before-bed time is my time. Whether you’re making time to bake a cake, go for a swim, or start on a personal project, I promise you, you’ll go to bed feeling a lot more relaxed than you would if you just hopped into bed after pounding out a 5,000 word essay. 3. Turn one of your social media "breaks" into productive catch-up time: Instead of spending my break time mindlessly scrolling down my Twitter feed, I've been updating my personal blog or reading interesting articles online. 4. TTC Rides: My TTC time is usually when I’ll catch up with new music and draw pictures on my phablet (once upon a time, I had dreams of being an artist). 5. Treat your hobbies like priorities. We’ve all been forced to put things that we enjoy on hold while we finish the important stuff. We promise ourselves that we’ll make more time for a, b, and c the minute summer, or Christmas, or reading week comes around. I learned the hard way that if you aren’t willing to make time for what you love when you’re busy, you’ll probably never have the time.

Now, excuse me. While you wait until Christmas to start reading that new series, I’ve got a life to live.