“Sometimes I wish a day had more than 24 hours.”
I hear that a lot. Struggling to find time to fit everything in is common. Especially when all we can think about is… well… how little time we have.
When people say they wish they had more hours, what they really mean is they wish they could ‘achieve’ more. Study and work more, write more books, go on more podcasts, be involved in more projects and start new ones. I don’t relate. Because if I had more time, I wouldn’t want to achieve anything more. I’d use it the best way I know how. Letting it pass me by.
Allow me to explain. Unless I’m on someone else’s “clock” (when I am doing work tasks during work hours), time spent doing nothing on my “clock” doesn’t feel wasted.
I feel most alive when I let time pass me by. It’s the time I allow myself to see simple things unfolding. Some of the most beautiful feelings arise when time is ‘unfilled’. But I don’t always allow myself that time.
Even knowing I can work best if I let my mind wander and walk away from a problem; stopping sometimes is the hardest thing to do.
So, If the day had five more hours, here are five “non-productive” things I would do.
Watch tea leaves opening in the boiling water
Noticing every single herb and flower opening would surely make me appreciate the tea more once I’m sipping it.
Allow more moments of silence in conversation
In conversation with people close to me, when a topic came to an end, I wouldn’t start a new one. In the pause, there would be a realisation I am there with someone I care about, that we are exchanging thoughts and experiences. Moments when nothing is being said would remind me how that person and I came to be in that moment then. How lucky we are to be in each other’s company and to sit there in silence.
Call someone I love
Sometimes I see people I haven’t seen in a long time and wonder, why don’t we do this more often? With my extra five hours, I wouldn’t have to feel that again, because I’d always be in touch and gaps in time since I last caught up with them wouldn’t be that long.
Sleep an extra hour
It’s true, I already get a lot of rest. But whether it’s an extra hour of sleep at night, or a nap during the day, I’d sleep to escape my waking thoughts and to feel more rested overall.
Sit on my balcony and watch what happens
From where I live I can see other buildings and train lines. I’d watch closely how the trains swerve, close my eyes and notice the loud, screeching noises they make. I’d pay attention to how the birds fly and which building ledges they land on.
Despite knowing how much I relish those five things, I don’t always allow myself them.
However, when I remember my own advice and let myself stop, incredible things happen. Great ideas come to me and letting my mind travel to different places.
What about you - what would you do with five more hours in your day?