Time structuring is simply a plan or budget for your time. Budgets should include a "blow money" or entertainment category for enjoyment. Likewise, your time structure should include planned free time. Free time is defined as time you plan to use for fun, pleasure, entertainment and enjoyment. Passing of time is when you are between planned activities.
Passing of time can be a few minutes after one activity waiting for a class to start, passing time until a work shift starts or is spent while in transit to another location.
Sense versus nonsense
How you use your time should make sense. We all need down time, rest time and enjoyable activities during our free time. However, we need to manage our time to get the most out of our free time to avoid wasting it or losing our enjoyment of it.
* You watch a show you enjoy watching and plan to watch. This is a legitimate use of free time. However, continuing to watch the next show whether or not you like it is nonsense and a waste of time.
* Playing sports is a legitimate use of our free time. The origin of sports began as physical competitions between players. Sports evolved into organized competitions between groups in the hope of avoiding fights. Sports continue as a source of exercise, literal team building and entertainment. However, we should be aware of what we do when the game is over. Spending another hour or three after the game socializing can be fun. However, it shouldn’t cut into family time or our need for sleep.
* Going to the movies, a restaurant or bar can be a form of socializing and fun. However, staying out late, getting drunk or drugged and partying as a means of passing time is a waste of time.
How to make good use of time when merely passing time
While time structuring defines how you will plan to use your time, there are occasions when you will need to pass the time until the next activity starts.
• Have a favorite series of audio books on an mp3 player. Listen to the audio book when you are driving, stuck in traffic or waiting in line. A few empty hours a week could be turned into an enriching or enjoyable experience. That book you’ve never had a chance to read could be read to you during your morning commute or while in line at the store.
• Have a book with you that you want to read. Read it while you are waiting. Select books that have very short chapters or are easy to pick up the plot when you can resume reading. Turning idle time into entertainment is a productive use of free time if the interruptions do not detract from the experience.
• Plan on checking voice-mails or text messages while you are on the train or in line. Using this 10 or 20 minutes can make this wasted time useful. However, for safety’s sake, you should never check voice-mails or text messages while driving.
• Did you miss a talk radio show or lecture? Download the podcast and listen to it while passing time.
