If you’re like me, you have so many passions and side projects you’d love to do, but the problem is just no free time to do anything.

With a busy job, family to take care of, or whatever you have going on, it can be super easy to just give up on those outlying hobbies or projects that you’d love to take on in a perfect world.

There is hope!

There are ways to “engineer” tidbits of time into your week for hobbies or to make small progress on your projects.

Here are six tips to help you find more free time for your hobbies and side projects.

 

1. Practice a Mindset of Small Efforts

As with many ideas discussed on this blog, accomplishing something first starts with the right mindset.

You need to get into the thinking that small efforts and adjustments add up over time, eventually leading great things, which is one of the principles of a growth mindset.

One guy that has mastered “small efforts” is Stephen Duneier.

He’s been able to accomplish an outrageous amount of projects in his life by what he describes as “marginal adjustments.”

Marginal adjustments start with making the right decisions on what you want to spend your time on and when.

Decide to pursue your projects or interests instead of giving up, no matter how small the effort or amount of time is.

Small amounts of progress can help you feel more satisfied and motivated to pursue something and also builds stronger productivity skills, pushing you to a new level of performance.

 

2. Measure Your Progress

If you’re using small snippets of time throughout your week to work on your projects and hobbies, it will be super easy to feel that you you’re not getting anywhere or it’s not worthwhile at all.

People typically give up or look for larger chunks of time that never seem to come and nothing happens.

If there’s one thing that really keeps us motivated, its progress.

Get a journal and write down regularly what you’ve accomplished or even just how you feel.

Reading through the actual progress you’ve made and the milestones you’ve hit will surprise you and boost your motivation to continue.

Measuring progress is essential when going at such a slow pace and rewards seem non-existent.

 

3. Get Organized: Create Granular Task Lists

When you finally do get some free time or a down-time opens up unexpectedly, you might be paralyzed by not knowing what the heck to do, squandering your opportunity.

You’d be surprised how much time you waste having to re-think, find the flow again, and figure out what to do next.

Be prepared and ultra-organized by creating a detailed task list.

 

Map out projects like an engineer:

• Be clear on what exactly is your goal or outcome.
• Chop large projects up into small pieces or granular, tiny tasks. Your tasks should be so detailed that when even a small 10-minute window of time opens up, you’ll find something in your list to do.
• Use Reverse Engineering to generate your task list if it’s unclear.
• Put the tasks in chronological order toward your goal.

Now when that unexpected chunk of free time comes, you’ll be ready and can get straight to work on something, making real progress.

 

4. Multitask…(sort of)

Although I don’t really believe in multitasking since the brain really can only focus fully on one thing at a time, you can still do multiple things during activities where you’re occupied, but not using full brain power.

For example, I really wanted to practice electric guitar but had no time in the evening with dinner, cleanup, and having to give my toddler daughter a bath.

I ended up unplugging my guitar and playing it in the bathroom while my kiddo was in the bath. Sounds funny, but I could still watch her and be present, but also get some reps and drills in on my guitar.

Analyze the times throughout your day where you can fit small tasks in. They may be in surprising places.

Are there times where you’re doing mindless chores where you could fit in some learning or planning?

You could listen to YouTube videos or podcasts while mowing the lawn, commuting to work, or working out.

 

5. Develop an Ability to Shift Focus

These days we can be constantly distracted with smart phones, emails, and notifications.

If you have a family with young kids, you’ll also be challenged with many interruptions, for amazing moments of life of course, but it’s super hard to get continuous chunks of quiet time.

One way to overcome this is to work on developing an excellent ability to shift your focus from one thing to the other.

This skill takes a lot of focus, mental clarity, and intention, but with time it can be improved.

There are several things online to help improve focus. Practicing meditation and physical exercise have helped me with focus shifting.

 

6. Reserve Time for Yourself

Sometimes, in order to really get things done, you just simply have to schedule quiet time and stick to it.

Plan a date with yourself, no matter how small the time. Put together a time that works best for you to be away from distractions and really focus.

You’ll grow to really look forward to this time and plan for it.

You might have to block out time from friends or trade time with your wife to get that quality time you need, but make sure you value it and don’t blow it off.

Scheduling the same time each week helps you and others build a schedule around “you” time.

 

Conclusion

With the incredibly busy lives that we all lead, it’s common to think that you’ll never have time to do more or pursue hobbies on the side.

There are ways to “engineer” tidbits of time into your busy life and make at least some progress, and it first starts with mindset.

1. Practicing a mindset of small efforts is being open to tiny bits of progress on things rather than giving up or waiting for large chunks of time. Small efforts DO add up over time.
2. Measuring progress is essential for retaining motivation with small efforts when it seems you’ve made little or no progress.
3. Creating detailed, granular task lists helps you be prepared when you do get free time, knowing exactly what to do next.
4. Multi-tasking can consist of pursuing your projects while doing something else that doesn’t take much brain power.
5. Developing an ability to shift your focus is a skill that is essential for dealing with interruptions that are common in a busy world.
6. Making time for yourself is setting time aside from everything and sticking to it, which may require serious scheduling of time with family or friends.

As you begin practicing these tricks, you’ll start to notice progress all around in your life and start to realize that anything is possible in small increments!