- Live simply. By reducing the amount of stuff you maintain, you can increase the time available for leisure.
- Plan unoccupied time. Schedule two hours on Wednesday afternoon and plan to do nothing. See what happens. That is leisure time. Do not do anything responsible or dutiful.
- Say no. It is okay to miss a co-worker’s daughter’s bridal shower. Send a gift card. Three to four hours become instantly available.
- Schedule days of the week for the important people in your life, which includes yourself. For every family commitment, make a commitment to yourself. Make leisure time a priority. Work and chores will always be there.
- Live close to work. Decreasing commute time in the car increases leisure time.
- Live close to play. Decreasing the driving time to a favorite leisure spot like the family cottage, or a ski resort increases the frequency of a favorite leisure activity.
- Maximize your schedule by coordinating errand runs and reducing driving time. Do errands during lunchtime to free up evenings.
- Eliminate unwanted mail. Cancel unread magazines, newspapers, email groups and junk mail. Set your spamblocker to keep out unwanted email. Time is wasted on undesired communications.
- Delegate chores and tasks. Let go of the need for perfection or control. More is accomplished and more time becomes available.
- Throw out the watch or quit looking at it so often. There are no time police.