Optimizing Your Free Time – The Responsibility of Education

Though this course is dedicated to the subject of education, my suggestions for using free time aren’t confined to “learning activities.” Free time should be approached more holistically. The following are some frameworks and tips that can help you make the best use of your time:

1. “The five C’s”: Consider each of the major aspects of your life, and which of them calls for your attention. For this purpose I recommend the five categories described in Cal Newport’s advice for a “deep life”:

– Craft (your work, things you produce, creative leisure activities)
– Community (family, friends, neighborhood)
– Constitution (health, fitness)
– Contemplation (philosophy, ethics, spirituality, deep thinking about a life well-lived)
– Celebration (gratitude, presence, enjoyment and appreciation of the world)

Just as a good doctor inquires into various aspects of a patient’s life to locate the sources of an issue and recommend treatment, you should examine yourself with the same comprehensive care. Which categories are you neglecting? Which are you over-emphasizing? Which are most relevant to the problems you’re facing? Which would most empower you to achieve your goals?

Think of constructive activities that satisfy your needs in each category. Prepare lists of these activities so it’s easy to choose one when you have free time. Make engaging in them as frictionless as possible so you don’t default to things that are merely close at hand.

Consider how certain behaviors may affect multiple categories. e.g. Developing your community may also further your craft. Working on your constitution may improve interactions among your community. Contemplation may improve the direction of, or motivation for, your work.

Try to make activities span multiple categories. e.g. Let your craft also be a celebration. Share contemplative thoughts with your friends (—while exercising with them).

Schedule activities in advance. Don’t limit your notion of “free” time to “unstructured” time. Create structure for yourself and pledge yourself to it freely. Think of these engagements as commitments to yourself—for your own sake and those who will benefit from your growth.

2. Most of us, I think, would agree with Mortimer Adler’s general order of things: that “earning a living and keeping alive must be for the sake of living well.”

This then begs the question: What does living well mean to me? What should I do, and what do I need, in order to live well, now and in the future?

Adler thinks that to live well is to have a life filled with as much leisure as possible: things you freely engage in for their own sake, “virtuous activities,” “the goods of the soul,” that which fulfills your human potential, and allows you to “grow morally, intellectually, and spiritually.”

The means of work

and recreation,

Adler says, should be employed only insofar as they further the ends of leisure.

[7][7]Common leisure pursuits are: creative production, acts of love or friendship, conversation or correspondence, reading or writing, communion with nature, charitable activity, political activity, cultivating intelligence, wisdom, morality, or character, etc.

Providing examples for each category is problematic, as an action can fall under different categories depending on how and why it’s performed. What one person does for work, another might do for leisure. Something like exercise can be recreation (mere bodily maintenance), leisure (challenging adventure that improves character), or work (how a professional athlete stays competitive). Learning can be work (vocational training or schooling for the sake of extrinsic reward) or leisure (for intrinsic purposes).

Whereas “the five C’s” specify the content of actions (“what” is being done), the categories of work, recreation, and leisure are differentiated by the spirit in which an action is performed (the “how” and “why”).

Note that his definition of leisure isn’t that which is most common today, meaning mere idleness: freedom from activity or duty. Adler’s definition entails the use of that freedom to serve meaningful, noble ends; it is freedom from certain obligatory duties, yes, but also freedom to honor greater duties of your choosing.

What higher duties will you serve when your needs for work and recreation are met?

If you don’t have a clear (and, ideally, inspiring) idea of what it means for you to live well, it will be difficult to get the most out of your free time. You’ll lack substantial aims to oppose the allure of the trivial or vulgar. You’ll be more susceptible to the hollow fantasies of limitless money, pleasure, or status (and the insecurities on which they feed).

To avoid these pitfalls, you should:

– Make clear for yourself the ends for which you will earn a living and keep alive—the ends that will help you reject ignoble aims (often manifested in consumerism, workaholism, and hedonism). Create a list of general and specific leisure activities that satisfy Adler’s definition above.

– Aim to make your work qualify as leisure—to make that which you do for money also provide opportunity for fulfillment, growth, or virtue.

– Change your perception of your work in order to take advantage of existing opportunities you may be neglecting. Appreciate in your work every potential for you to live well and help others live well.

[8][8]

The curse that has been laid on humanity, in fable and in fact, is, that by the sweat of its brow shall it live. But reason and moral intuition have seen in this curse the foundation for advance. The early Benedictine monks rejoiced in their labours because they conceived themselves as thereby made fellow-workers with Christ.

Stripped of its theological trappings, the essential idea remains, that work should be transfused with intellectual and moral vision and thereby turned into a joy, triumphing over its weariness and its pain. Each of us will re-state this abstract formulation in a more concrete shape in accordance with his private outlook. … However you phrase it, it remains the sole real hope of toiling humanity; and it is in the hands of technical teachers, and of those who control their spheres of activity, so to mould the nation that daily it may pass to its labours in the spirit of the monks of old. [Alfred North Whitehead, The Aims of Education and Other Essays, Williams and Norgate, 1955, pp. 67-68]

– Be able to say when you’ve worked (and relaxed) enough, so you can attend to the things that make life worth living (which may include improving the lot of those who lack the means to pursue leisure).

A world dominated by work and recreation—where we neglect family, community, nature, our own growth and the growth of others—where so many suffer from a lack of meaning and purpose—this is a world that has lost touch with the preeminence of leisure in human life. If we want societies that honor the highest ends, we should first define and honor these ends for ourselves.

3. Think of free time as freedom: freedom that can be cherished or abused; freedom won, in part, by the enlightenment, courage, and toil of countless people before you; freedom you can choose to enlarge for yourself and others in kind.

Free time brings us face to face with the challenge and responsibility of freedom. What will you do, what values will guide you, when the direction of your life falls to you? We should be honest about the fact that the responsibility to make the best use of your freedom is burdensome, so much so that many escape from it, through sheer carelessness or by transferring the choice to someone else.

The rationalizations for abdicating this responsibility are many, but they are nonetheless tragic and wasteful.

[9][9]

[T]he negative side of freedom, the burden which it puts on man, is difficult to realize, especially for those whose heart is with the cause of freedom. … We fail sufficiently to recognize … that although man has rid himself from old enemies of freedom, new enemies of a different nature have arisen; enemies which are not essentially external restraints, but internal factors blocking the full realization of the freedom of personality. … [W]e are fascinated by the growth of freedom from powers outside of ourselves and are blinded to the fact of inner restraints, compulsions, and fears, which tend to undermine the meaning of the victories freedom has won against its traditional enemies. … We forget that, although each of the liberties which have been won must be defended with utmost vigor, the problem of freedom is not only a quantitative one, but a qualitative one; that we not only have to preserve and increase the traditional freedom, but that we have to gain a new kind of freedom, one which enables us to realize our own individual self, to have faith in this self and in life. [Erich Fromm, Escape From Freedom, 1941, Henry Holt & Co., 1994, pp. 104-106]

When considering the constitution of a good eduction, include this purpose: to prepare you to bear the burden of freedom—to present inspiring, comprehensive ways of “living well”; to make clear your responsibilities (in addition to earning a living and keeping alive) to yourself and others; to impart the skills and qualities of character that allow you to uphold the best uses of your freedom.

4. If something is worth doing, it’s likely worth doing as your sole focus, fully present. In our world of efficiency cults and attention economies, never before has your focus been so precious, and so vulnerable. Give your attention the respect it deserves; cultivate deep, disciplined focus; don’t divide it carelessly; protect it from thieves.

Engage with people and things the quality of which justifies your full presence. Seek experiences of sufficient “nutritional value” to justify thorough digestion, not hasty consumption. The “fear of missing out” often drives the pursuit of quantity over quality, but consider that a rushed, superficial attention misses out on that which is most profound and personal—the meaning and insight earned by uncommon effort—that which makes a genuine and lasting impact. If the object of your attention won’t reward such effort, seek out those that will.

5. With the excess of captivating content available, you should have higher standards of selection beyond what simply grabs your attention. When choosing the best use of your time, consciously ask “Is this in my interests?” rather than just “Is this interesting?”

The former evaluates things with respect to personal goals or values. “Does this help me progress in the directions I’ve deemed valuable? Is it relevant to my growth? Is it good for me?”

It may be good to spend some time merely browsing (especially if you lack a guiding direction), but this should also be done consciously. If your intent is to wander to find yourself, you can still do so deliberately, without getting lost in sensational diversion.

6. You don’t need large blocks of free time to get the most out of it. Free time can be used well in the span of one mindful breathe. A few minutes can be enough to read a couple pages, do a quick exercise, or keep in touch with a friend. Don’t overlook small windows of time.

That being said, you shouldn’t feel compelled to fill every minute of your day with something “productive.” If the result of optimizing your free time is feeling perpetually stressed or burnt out, then it’s likely you haven’t struck a healthy balance between your various needs (as described above in #1 and 2).

7. Let your experiences (whether work, recreation, or leisure) fuel your creative pursuits. Let everything you do be a potential source of material for your art or craft.

Having such a creative outlet allows you to derive essential meaning from the artistic process: paying attention, appreciating something as significant, shaping and adapting it for personal expression, and sharing it with others. To aid this process you can: hone your powers of perception (as mentioned in #4 above), acknowledge and follow up on moments of inspiration (use a notebook or app to capture and collect your important ideas), regularly practice some form of craft (when in doubt, the craft of writing is always worthwhile and accessible), cultivate a community that can improve and appreciate your creativity.

8. Be mindful of your reactions to your obligatory duties. How you feel about your time that isn’t free inevitably impacts how you spend your free time. If you’re resentful in light of your compulsory duties, you’re more likely to justify indulging in excessive recreation.

Even if you’re justifiably proud of (or exhausted from) what you’ve accomplished in your unfree time, you should still enforce healthy limits on the recreation you’ve earned.

[11][11]Contemplating how to resolve this resentment is likely to be an invaluable use of your free time.

In light of the notion that “wise people are able to balance three responses to situations: adaptation (changing the self to fit the environment), shaping (changing the environment), and selection (choosing to move to a new environment)” [Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis], which response, or responses, would help improve your experience of your obligatory duties?

Adaptation: Are you doing what is within your purview to make the best of the things you must do? Have you adequately prepared to fulfill your duties, such that they aren’t needlessly stressful and can provide the enjoyment of competence? Do you have a suitable work ethic that reinforces the importance of these duties? Do you take ownership of them and appreciate their positive effects? Are you taking care of your physical and mental health, which colors much of your experience?

Shaping: Are there ways to change the conditions around your duties to better meet your needs? Are there specific problems with the people or systems involved that you could address? Are there others who could help you make these changes?

Selection: Are there viable alternatives to supplement or replace problematic parts of these duties? If essential needs can’t be met by adapting to, or shaping, your obligatory duties, are there different environments or duties that can meet these needs?

Ask not: How much recreation can I justify? But: How much recreation is conducive to my overall well-being—how much is “enough” for me to return to the things that I find most meaningful and fulfilling?

9. Valuing your time is valuing yourself: “Self-discipline is self-caring. … If we feel ourselves valuable, then we will feel our time to be valuable, and if we feel our time to be valuable, then we will want to use it well.”

No matter your situation, by choosing to use your time well, you declare and promote self-worth. Remind yourself that your time is valuable because you are valuable, as are the many gifts you might bestow upon the world.

10. Make the connection between time, labor, and money. As money is a direct representation of labor and time, using your money wisely is an important way to respect the value of your time. When considering whether to buy something, ask yourself if you would directly trade your time and labor for it; translate the cost of that thing into hours of work. If you’re a young person relying on the income of a parent, ask yourself the same thing: Is a desired purchase worth the hours it would take that parent to earn it? Would they be willing (or would you want them) to spend their time working directly for that desired object?

Buying things that don’t reflect the true value of your time and labor (or that of others) is one way to find yourself short of time and dissatisfied with your work. Instead, let your money further your highest aims, those that bring deep and lasting happiness; use your money to increase the time that you have for meaningful leisure activities.

How we spend our time is ultimately a reflection of our values; we’ll pursue what we believe will bring us what we want most (be it wealth, social status, pleasure, happiness, meaning, love, creativity, etc.)

Our task is not only to choose sound values, but to order them appropriately, striking and re-striking a balance that serves our changing needs in the present, our future needs, and the needs of those we care for.

If we don’t make our values explicit, we’re likely to adopt automatically and uncritically those aims that are most culturally prevalent, incentivized by the market, or urged by biology.

Without an inquiry into genuine, proven sources of happiness and well-being, we’re unlikely to orient ourselves properly. We’ll spend our time pursuing ends that leave us feeling hollow, or that undermine our long term interests and those of others.

Without an acceptance of the timeless wisdom that dissatisfaction is an inevitable part of life, we’ll waste our time chasing non-stop happiness—and we’ll feel defective when we inevitably fail. We’ll escape from, or vilify, the kind of unpleasant experiences that, if accepted, can bring real meaning, peace, and growth. We’ll be unable to experience dissatisfaction without it becoming, itself, a cause of suffering.

Without individuals (and a society) that value human well-being above other things (particularly economic dominance), we’ll be compelled to engage in increasingly frenzied competition, to the ruin of those factors that yield true happiness. The technologies that ought to return time to us will be used to fill our time in ever-escalating arms races, to outperform those who are willing to sacrifice more and more human well-being.

But we need not fall into these traps.

We can create cultures and economies that de-escalate the arms races (and remove the perverse incentives) that don’t have human flourishing as their ultimate aim.

We can make peace with the inevitable dissatisfactions of life, the ever-renewing appetites, the transience of all things, “good” and “bad.” We can learn to feel whole in such a way that we aren’t striving to attain states of perfection or permanence that cannot exist. With this feeling of innate wholeness, we can rescue our time from those competitions that only deepen our insecurities.

We can heed the traditional wisdom and contemporary research that advocate the most sound sources of happiness: loving relationships, bonds of fellowship and community, generosity, gratitude, a sense of control over our lives, a healthy body and mind, the natural world, work that produces states of flow and vital engagement, transcendent purposes beyond ourselves, and lastly, a mindful awareness of the feelings these (and all) experiences create.

If we want more time for the things that bring meaning, fulfillment, and genuine happiness, we have to prioritize this time, accommodate it in our cultures and economies, and use it well when we have it. If we don’t use our freedom responsibly—if we can’t be trusted to do so—we will find it restricted.

If we don’t have inspiring aims for our leisure, we’ll have no good reason but to abide, or even demand, a life of mere work and play, compulsive earning and conspicuous spending, pleasure divorced from virtue, status divorced from authentic achievement. We’ll also be quietly (or not-so-quietly) desperate for something more substantial. Many of our ills, as individuals and societies, are symptoms of this essential deficiency.

We can help to remedy these ills, in simple and complex ways, by using our time well: by prioritizing the right values and aims for our lives; by taking responsibility for the best uses of our freedom; by disciplining our focus; by refusing to consume junk or demand trivial goods; by valuing ourselves and others as beings capable of meaningful contributions to a miraculous world. Spending our time well can be challenging; as challenging as re-evaluating our ultimate goals, our ways of being, the structure of our cultures and institutions. But it can also be easy; as easy as giving our complete attention to a loved one, getting lost in a creative interest, or stopping to admire a flower.

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