Free time, we have heard about it. What is Free time anyway?

Fairytales are magical. Even if you are trapped in a high tower, caged by a monster, scorned by a step mother, cursed into sleeping for centuries, or being fed a poisonous apple, one can be at ease knowing that things will always conclude with the happily ever after ending. Everything seems vivid and trancelike in fairy stories however in reality one cannot be certain of most things in life especially the time, it feels unreal and charmed.

In today’s quantum computing world, time is the most elusive illusion. Every minute of the typical twenty-four hours is different for each one of us. That’s the thing about time, 7.5 billion of us can perceive seconds differently and can be lulled into coma of believing that some don’t have time, time flies fast for some and it doesn’t move an inch for a few. Unfortunately, time walks by no matter how it makes one feel about it.

Yes, of course, time is a funny thing as well, a decade can pass by without any uneventful moments and the entire lifetime’s realization can happen in a matter of seconds. Things you wouldn't imagine happening in million years can happen just like that. Time has the power to heal and has the charmed tones to turn the events upside down.

Interestingly, whatever happens, happens in some period of time or at some point in time. We all are encapsulated in the framework of time, and from time to time, we all feel the need to unwind, or escape to fairy lands to live those dreamlike moments.

Now, in the age of online, those escape routes are embedded and trapped within the small screens, and whether we like it or not we are already being captivated by flickering pixels. In other words, even if you are not doing anything concrete, you are online, browsing or messaging stamping down so called free time.

So the real question is, do we really have the luxury of having free time to escape to do things we like. It’s uncommon to hear someone saying they have some free time. Having free time is apparently concluded as being unproductive and someone falling into the category of not contributing much to the advancement of humanity.  

What is free time anyway? Yes, it has lost its meaning in today’s world but technically it’s the spare time available for hobbies or activities you enjoy and that time of the day where you have freed yourself from duties and responsibilities.

While growing up I recall my mother having 3pm to 5 pm as her free or me time, no one could interrupt that. My mother did all those things she wanted to do, from knitting, writing, reading books, hemming, and even chatted with neighbors and friends in that exclusively her time. The generation jones did exercise their free time well than Xennials, Millennials or Generation Z.

Generation Alpha don’t even probably understand what it is be like being offline for an entire day. ‘Being offline’ is going to be trending soon and will have coaching centers & Offline gurus to teach kids and adults alike on how to be offline and focus on something that’s not rendering on a small screen. Yes, times have changed, but then, in an average, hobbies of most current gen kids are just about being online, and all the basic skills required for example sewing a button, planting a seed, or socializing has taken a backseat or is nonexistent.

Well, with yoga, Pilates, gym, school, office, work, driving, and dining, hard for anyone to have the time for the spare phase. Here’s the thing, if you are occupied 24/7 just for catering to continued existence then that isn’t experiencing life, so what one should do.

It’s important to recognize some period of the day as the free time, and list the activities that interests you to do during that time. Most importantly you must practice it day after day till you start feeling the real moments as beautiful as fairytale dimensions. Things we do as hobbies be it photography, collecting leaves, or stitching has an unforgettable impact on our lives than the routine humdrum.

If we consciously make free time and allow ourselves to get involved in very many interests and activities on a regular basis who knows we might not need the “Being offline” course after all.

Written by,

Chaya Mathew

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