Why You Need Free Time

Over the past few years, dopamine detoxes have become a huge topic online. As people spend more of their days glued to screens, it's no surprise that there's a growing demand for ways to combat the lack of motivation that can come with it. These are done by time spent on media and social activities, and instead stick to a schedule that includes activities such as reading, reflection, and exercise. Although seemingly simple, these periods away from the most distracting parts of our life can be a huge boon to our minds. Boredom is a concept that we seldom see in our lives today, yet it’s one of the most crucial for living productive and happy lives.

Motivation: Doing “Suboptimal” Activities

I’m the least motivated when I can’t explore and learn new things. I have a bad habit of doing things out of obligation; it’s way easier to tunnel vision on the things I feel forced to do than think about things I want to. It’s all about efficiency: time is your most valuable resource and you feel the pressure to squeeze every last drop out of it. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts while you do chores, brush your teeth in the shower, doomscroll Twitter while waiting in line. Every last minute is occupied by entertainment under the guise of productivity.

Free time gives you the space to explore the things you “don’t have time for”. When you're setting aside time to be bored, it becomes an avenue of exploration and discovery. You finally have time to do that thing that you wanted to do, but could never justify allocating time for. Spend the time reading something you find cool, doing crafts, or learning a new hobby. Your mind is so much more interesting than you give it credit for, so give it a chance.