How do you pass the time?

deadybai

I’ve recently gone from being a sole trader working 7 days a week in a highly stressful job to a 8-4 office job with evenings and weekends off.

Thing is I’m really struggling now with all the time I have on my hands.

I workout in the evenings and watch sport on the weekends but that takes about 2 hours out of the day .

any suggestions on how to fill the gap? I’m starting to crack up a bit looking at crap on my phone/tv.

o1s1n

Step 1 is realising that the free time you now have is called 'life'.

Step 2 is learning to enjoy said life.

Get some hobbies, make some new friends, go see the world, do whatever you want to do.

AyeGer

Join a sports club or drama.

babyducklings1

One thing about Ireland is there’s loads to do here, so many local clubs, even if you live in a small place. You are lucky to feel bored in that you now have more free time to do things. Do a course, take up a new hobby, join a club( so many out there) Check local events/ news pages. Good luck.

tikka16751

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121504814#Comment_121504814

What do the local clubs do?

babyducklings1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121504851#Comment_121504851

Sport, music, volunteering, hill walking, cookery , art etc. Local communities do loads of activities.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058327213/how-do-you-pass-the-time

Well I retired at 55 and the only difference for me now is that there is not salary coming in! Once the word gets out that "you have nothing to do", it's amazing how many people will find things to fill your day if you let them! Getting used to having six Saturdays and a Sunday, takes a bit of time but everyone gets used to it, the trick is to make sure you have time to do the things that are important to you. Generally I walk, cycle and use kettlebells for a couple of hours every day, then there are task I have agreed to do for various family members, domestic chores, hobbies and I also do financial consulting work as a volunteer for the UN (https://www.unv.org/become-volunteer).

During the summer I try to do a couple of months cycle touring along the cycling routes in Europe, As I figure I probably don't have 20 summers left in which I will be physically capable to do such stuff.

My days are usually as full as I want them to be.

Furze99

Personally I'd rather work at something meaningful that just swan about the place.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505629#Comment_121505629

Trying to look across this thread as to anyone that gave advice of.. swan about the place.

Glenomra

I think that you are not the type of person who will ever be fulfilled with non income generating pastime. In my uninformed and minority opinion you need part time work as well as the day job. Maybe some online selling involving collection and delivery and generating extra income. You probably don't need the extra income. A number of people of my generation, reared in difficult times when money was very scarce, were only happy in retirement when they went back to work , sometimes in a more menial activity than they were doing previously. Courier, taxi driver, selling firewood, security, shop assistant are among the part time jobs they have taken on. Meeting people and as one previously disgruntled man said to 'happy as a pig in ****'. Inactivity doesn't suit everyone.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505629#Comment_121505629

Nobody said otherwise?

You can 'work at something meaningful' that isn't necessarily your place of employment.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505658#Comment_121505658

Perhaps some introspection and trying to get to the root of why a person is unable to relax and enjoy the fruit of their labour rather than being on an unending treadmill of work might be better advice?

Nobody ever looks back on their deathbed at all the hours they spend in the office on projects for their company or the hours of graft they put in working as a taxi driver. It's the moments in between that matter.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505658#Comment_121505658

Indeed, it suits some to be productive for as long as you can. Better to keep your boots on as long as possible, than just fade into irrelevance :)

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505705#Comment_121505705

But he hasn't given up work??? Just changed jobs.

I always think the "bored outside of work" brigade display a remarkable lack of imagination. No offence, OP.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505629#Comment_121505629

Nobody said you can't do anything meaningful with all or some of your time. I have over three decades of experience in the financial services sector and through the UN volunteer program my expertise plus that of many more people like me is available to NGOs and various government bodies for free. Spending time trying to improve the economic well being of some of the worlds poorest people, meets my definition of meaningful. How about you?

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505705#Comment_121505705

One can but hope that you will eventually come to understand a little about what the third phase of live is like. Because right now you have not go a clue.

SuperBowserWorld

Get a dog.

Learn an instrument.

Volunteer.

Read some of the great books that have been written.

NSAman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058327213/how-do-you-pass-the-time

It’s called adjustment.

I was in the same position years ago. Remembering Christmas being just Christmas Day and back into work Stephen’s Day. Then changed. Honestly, sitting there thinking what am I missing and why am I not busy.

you learn to relax and enjoy the life you didn’t have when work was your life.

Now, I still work hard, but there enjoy the time off in other ways, family, friends, new hobbies, some profit making others to purely expend energy.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058327213/how-do-you-pass-the-time

Edit: Wrong thread

niallpatrick

Take up sea angling and set yourself a species target, keep a log book of catches with pics

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058327213/how-do-you-pass-the-time

Have a child. Then you'll be lucky if you'll get a hour to yourself in the evening before you scrape yourself off the couch and go to bed exhausted.

yourdeadwright

Take up golf or hiking , Get outside enjoy yourself , meet new people,

Enjoy your own company, think of things you'd like to get good at and give them a try,

My grand father told me when i was a teenager never look to pass your time instead fill your time with things you enjoy , Now there never enough time in the day i need more hours , It sounds silly but you get one life do your very best to enjoy every hour of it,

The last few years i don;t have any free time iv 3 kids but them days will return in a blink of an eye,

Strumms

Some good advice….

the learning an instrument suggestion is good….

buy a guitar or keyboard or whatever instrument, take one lesson a music teacher a week…

between the lesson and practice at home you’ll spend a lot of time and enjoyment on it.

Vrinda

Cook meals at home... Learn new cuisine...New language...Teach if you know one? Volunteering is a good one suggested earlier. How is the change? Office jobs can also be demanding on its own.

I also wanted to mention isnt it ironical, that I am in now a sitation where I'll be at full time office job from having a career break ( also demanding in sense, was in caring role) and I am already ancticipating how it'll all keep me occupied leaving me no time to do other things or pursue hobbies. So its a perspective, and this post reminds me I might find time to do other things :)

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121505909#Comment_121505909

Get a dog to learn an instrument

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121539972#Comment_121539972

https://youtu.be/Qj_FCM7THDI?feature=shared

Awooooo