One will inevitably encounter several times a week the sensation of empty time; time where it seems nothing productive can be done. Here I’m going to tell you how to wisely use that time to your advantage.

First things first, we must sort out the problem. Time where you have tasks left to do but you can’t accomplish any of them can be classified as Type 1 Empty Time, and time when you have no tasks left can be classified as Type 2 Empty Time. Let’s analyze each type individually.

Type 1 Empty Time usually crops up when waiting for something and the time chunk is too little to start anything productive. This time is a perfect time to prepare tasks for the next day, think about ideas for your constructive work, and chat with friends on your phone. Here is a plan to get you started: Reserve Type 1 Empty Time for chatting with others. Do not waste time doing unnecessary texting on productive time. If none of your friends are available or you’re done chatting, prepare upcoming tasks so you’re more organized. After that, think about any work you’re doing and try to get ideas. Ideas often come when we don’t expect them to. If you get no success and instead get bored, just let your mind wander. Boredom is known to increase creativity, as wandering minds become more creative. That is how to approach Type 1 Empty Time.

Type 2 Empty Time has a similar approach, yet can be different in many ways. One great approach would be to complete tasks you scheduled for tomorrow, but can still be done with ease today. This would help lighten the next day, especially if it will be a heavy day. However, leave some tasks to the next day, as not everything that can be done tomorrow can be done today. Another approach is just to plain relax and talk to people. Every human needs some fun time every day to work at peak productivity during work time. A final approach could be pursuing your hobby. If you can, use this time to pursue your hobby, as it will significantly improve the quality of your life. Altogether, these are the main strategies to deal with Type 2 Empty Time.

Empty Time can be a nuisance, but if you know how to appropriately use them, you can be rewarded with large amounts of saved time, and a lot of fun!

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