When people think of sustainability, they usually think of it on a grand scale. And while that is important, it is also essential to implement it on a personal level. We should indeed aim to have a sustainable lifestyle on a personal level. There are many demands on our time, and it can often feel like we are just hanging on for the ride. We can then become overwhelmed more often than not, which might throw us out of balance. And that can have a domino effect on our whole life. So how often have you planned your week out and found that you only had a few hours of free time? What would you generally do with that time? And how would you feel during the time you had nothing scheduled for?
When people think of sustainability, they usually think of it on a grand scale. And while that is important, it is also essential to implement it on a personal level. Therefore, we should aim to have a sustainable lifestyle on a personal level.
We should indeed aim to have a sustainable lifestyle on a personal level. There are many demands on our time, and it can often feel like we are just hanging on for the ride. We can then become overwhelmed more often than not, which might throw us out of balance. And that can have a domino effect on our whole life. So how often have you planned your week out and found that you only had a few hours of free time? What would you generally do with that time? And how would you feel during the time you had nothing scheduled for?
To plan or not to plan
When I was in college, a colleague shared her weekly planner with me. She had blocked out a few hours each day and marked them as “fun time” and other similar phrases. I remember thinking to myself at the time how absurd that seemed. And that I hoped I would never be so busy that I would have to schedule breaks during the day. I was busy, and I only had a few hours each day. The main difference was she was planning free time, and I was taking it when I could find it. I did not realise that maybe that was not the best way to go around things. Not that I wasn’t enjoying my free time, but it always felt spontaneous and sometimes wasted. Moreover, since I never scheduled it, I didn’t realise how little of it I had.
I thought it was preferable to plan out my obligations in meticulous detail but leave the rest of the time unstructured and free. In hindsight, all I was teaching myself was to prioritise my responsibilities and treat my free time as an afterthought. It meant putting my life in a passenger’s seat. Shortly after that, I quickly realised that this wasn’t a sustainable way to live. Instead, you take back some control by scheduling your free time and doing what you planned. So rather than being a passenger in the car, you are helping drive.
Benefits of scheduling your free time
Once you start scheduling it, you begin to take a closer look at your obligations. For example, you might even start questioning them and asking: “Is this obligation necessary? Is this taking me closer to the ultimate goal I want to achieve?”. Simultaneously, you start filling your free time with things that fulfill you: “Is this meaningful to me? Does this make me happy?”. And as a result, you might adopt new habits and practices and make your life more enjoyable. You will develop a sustainable lifestyle as a byproduct of your newly created habits.
Maybe you decide you want to finally start practising yoga, or that you want to read the classics, or learn a new language, or start that vegetable garden you’ve been meaning to start. Imagine all of us working towards living our best lives. The cascading effect that would cause. Shifts in the paradigm start with shifts at the personal level. If we want to live in a sustainable society, we need to prioritize it first in ourselves.
How to create a sustainable lifestyle in 5 steps:
- Maintain a daily planner or calendar and be specific and clear when writing your entries. For example, instead of saying something vague like ‘cooking for myself’, write what dishes you want to cook and plan trips to the grocery store in advance.
- If you are looking for inspiration or a new hobby, try visiting your local bookstore on a regular basis. They usually have themed selections every month. A lot of bookstores are also focused on their communities and have bulletin boards where they post flyers for local events, like book readings, farmers markets, and book clubs. One of the most innovative things I saw at a bookstore was called Blind Date with a Book, where each book was wrapped in brown paper and written on it was a brief description of the plot and the genre. Such places can be a consistent source for new experiences
- Try to set a schedule that can be repeated from week to week. This will allow you to plan ahead if you are planning events with friends. Also, it will offer you some routine,and simultaneously you will have room for being spontaneous.
- Block off time for yourself at both the beginning and end of the day. This way you are starting and ending your day on your own terms. This can be ten minutes in the morning for a meditation or a coffee and ten minutes in the evening for reading a chapter of a book.
- Be realistic and set achievable goals. You won’t learn a new language overnight. If you go into this with the mindset that you are trying to improve your life, you will have a better chance of succeeding. And be sure to be flexible and forgive yourself if you have to cancel. These are long-term goals. This should be fun.
- Give yourself feedback after a few weeks. Are you still having fun? Constantly challenge yourself and change your routine when you feel it is getting stale. As much as it is important to have a routine, it is also crucial to have some time, which will allow you to explore your feelings and go with the flow.
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