How to utilise free time as a perfectionist (35 fun ways)

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I want to share some important tips to help you utilise free time as a perfectionist. And I know you’re probably wondering… free time? What is that?

But trust me, you have to make time for free time if you want to be productive consistently without burning out.

Don’t let hustle culture trick you into thinking that life has to be all work no play just hustle hustle hustle.

The truth is, if you want to achieve your goals without having a complete mental breakdown you need to schedule some time for fun and spontaneity because life is for LIVING!

As a Mindset and Productivity coach for perfectionists, I understand the challenges that you are facing when juggling work, personal growth, family, side projects and relaxation.

However, I have witnessed first-hand how embracing free time takes your productivity to a new level and unlocks a new sense of creativity, motivation and passion for life.

I’ve seen it in my own life and the lives of my clients so trust me, if you try at least one of these 35 ways to utilise free time you’ll reach new heights too.

This post is all about how to utilise free time as a perfectionist

Table of Contents

There are so many reasons why perfectionists struggle with free time

If you’re a perfectionist, free time can often feel like wasted time because you have this nagging voice in your head reminding you of all the unfinished tasks and goals you haven’t achieved.

Here are some reasons why you might be struggling:

Fear of wasting time: You’ve probably bought the lie that productivity means that you need to be constantly busy and if you’re not busy then you’re failing.
High expectations: You have ridiculously high expectations and standards for yourself so you feel guilty for needing to have a break.
Difficulty relaxing: Even when you do have a break you find it difficult to relax because your mind is always thinking about the next goal. Or maybe because you’re so used to pushing yourself to achieve goals you take your free time so seriously that it’s not even fun anymore
Overcommitment: You time block everything in your calendar leaving no room for free time. You struggle to say no and end up doing things that you don’t want to do
Comparison with others: You compare yourself to the ‘put together influencers’ who seem to be able to juggle all the moving parts of their lives with ease which makes you feel inadequate and lazy.
Lack of presence: You can’t be fully present in the moment so even when you do have free time you are unable to enjoy it because you’re always distracted. It just feels like you can’t get anything right so you want to give up and passively scroll on social media instead

Free time is so important, especially for perfectionists:

You need to recharge your mental, emotional and physical batteries
Having a break allows room for new ideas, innovation and creative expression to take place. You might even find yourself having a breakthrough in an area of your life that was causing a mental block
Your stress levels will be reduced because you’ll finally have some time to focus your energy on things that bring you genuine joy and relaxation.
You can check in with yourself and reconnect with your mind and body. Use the time to journal and reflect on your values, goals and priorities
When you spend time with your friends and family, you’ll start to realise that you are not alone in your journey to success. There are people around you who value you for you and not your achievements. It puts things into perspective

How to mentally prepare to have guilt-free leisure time

Okay, so now you know the benefits of utilising your free time but now you actually have to learn how to detach from your busy life and add leisure time to your schedule.

Sounds like a foreign concept, I know.

So I have created a short list of things that you can do to make the process a lot smoother so that you can enjoy your free time without guilt.

1. Change your mindset

The reason you have trouble enjoying your free time is because you don’t think you deserve a break. You think your worth is tied directly to your output and if you are not working or being productive then you are wasting time.

In order to change your mindset you need to challenge your perfectionist thoughts. When you notice that you are starting to feel guilty or self-critical, you need to come up with rational counter-arguments.

You need to understand that rest and relaxation are NON-NEGOTIABLE for your overall wellbeing. Spending time to recharge is not wasted time, instead, it is an essential part of your mindful productivity system.

Remember, perfection doesn’t exist and despite your best efforts, you are NOT a superhero.

You can’t work non-stop without taking a break.

So… to summarise, take the damn break before the break takes you!

Here are some positive affirmations to help you shift your mindset so you can utilise free time guilt-free

I deserve moments of relaxation and enjoyment in my life
Leisure time is essential for my overall wellbeing and productivity
I release any feelings of guilt or self-criticism about taking breaks
I value myself enough to prioritise self-care
I am more creative and innovative when I utilise my free time
I am worthy of joy, fun and relaxation regardless of my accomplishments
I give myself permission to enjoy my free time without judgement
I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with myself and others during free time

2. Identify your needs

Take a moment to journal and reflect on your current situation.

Is there something that you’ve always wanted to do but never found the time to do it?

Maybe you used to draw a lot as a teenager and you miss the feeling of watching your artwork evolve from a simple idea to a physical drawing in front of you.

Brainstorm all the things you want to do and everything that you feel is missing in your life.

Check in with your body too.

How’s your neck, back and shoulders? Maybe your body would appreciate a nice relaxing massage in a spa or even something as simple as a self-care bubble bath at home.

Whatever it is, spend time reflecting on the things that your mind and body need to feel whole.

Things outside of work by the way!!

3. Schedule, schedule, schedule!

You might try to convince yourself that you’ll squeeze in those leisure activities when you have the time.

But I’m here to tell you that you probably won’t.

You’ll find excuses and reasons why you can’t book the massage or visit your friend.

Or you will have good intentions but instead find yourself scrolling on Instagram and TikTok wasting hours from your life which will kickstart the next wave of shame spiralling.

You need to plan your leisure activities in advance and schedule them like you would any other task or appointment.

You need to make it clear to your subconscious mind that leisure time is a top PRIORITY and that it is essential for your own personal growth and wellbeing.

It is not an either-or situation. Utilising your free time doesn’t take away from your productivity – it is PART of your mindful productivity routine.

We need to talk about boundaries…

When you schedule your free time, make sure you set some clear boundaries between what counts as work-related tasks and leisure-related tasks (this is SUPER important if you are self-employed).

You can put app limits in place to make sure work emails aren’t popping up on your phone after 5 pm.

You’re also going to have to master the art of saying NO. Yes, I know it might be a struggle if you’re a people-pleasing perfectionist but now is the perfect time to learn the skill.

To help you get started I thought I would provide you with a 1 sentence get out of jail-free card: “I appreciate the opportunity, but I need to prioritise my existing commitments at the moment. Thank you for understanding”

That’s it. You don’t need to overexplain and divulge the reasons why you are not able to do the task that they want you to do. The time you have allocated for self-care and leisure is a sacred time that needs to be prioritised.

Here are 27 ways to utilise free time broken down into the 5 ways to wellbeing:

I have been obsessed with the 5 ways to wellbeing ever since I heard about it as a uni student many years ago. I was so passionate that I actually became a Wellbeing Champion while at uni. It was great.

If you don’t know, the 5 Ways to Wellbeing are 5 evidence-based practical actions to help people enhance their overall quality of life, wellbeing and resilience.

It was founded through research by the New Economics Foundation and commissioned by the UK Government.

Here are the 5 ways:

Connect with others
Be active
Take notice
Keep learning
Give back

I have kindly put together a list of hobbies, actions and projects you can do to utilise free time in a way that promotes your overall wellbeing

Connect with others:

Host a games night with friends
Arrange a coffee date with a friend or family member
Join a meetup group
Have a movie night with friends
Start a book club
Host a BBQ or picnic
Go to a concert with friends
Go to a party

Be Active

Join a dance class
Try an outdoor sport like rock climbing
Organise a group fitness challenge with friends
Do couch to 5k
Attend a local sports club
Have a water fight with friends on a hot day
Go to an adult trampoline park
Try tough mudder

Take notice

Meditate
Join a yoga class
Take a hike
Journal to identify your values and realign your goals
Try mindful gardening
Bird watching
Take photos of nature while on a walk

Keep learning

Read a new book
Start a blog
Learn how to play an instrument
Find out how to solve a Rubix cube
Watch a documentary on a topic you’re curious about
Attend a cooking class
Join an art class with friends

Give back

Volunteer
Donate old clothes and toys
Do daily random acts of kindness
Share your skills
Express your gratitude toward the people you care about

I hope you found this blog post about how to utilise free time as a perfectionist helpful!

Drop a comment down below if you have some more suggestions on how to utilise free time without feeling guilty.

I feel really passionately about this topic because I used to subscribe to the hustle culture mentality. I thought that resting and having fun was a weakness. I’d feel SOOOO guilty whenever I took a break or hung out with my friends. Having fun meant that I was being unproductive and lazy.

Obviously, I know better now but back then you wouldn’t have been able to convince me otherwise. Hopefully, this blog post will help you start the shift to changing your mindset around the ways you can utilise free time.

If you want to dive deeper and accelerate your productivity without burning out, consider signing up for the 1-1 Perfectionist Productivity Accelerator. In this session, you’ll receive tailored guidance and support to overcome your procrastination tendencies, optimise your productivity system and achieve your goals with less stress in less time. You will learn how to be productive every day in a sustainable way.

Follow me on Instagram if you want daily productivity tips for perfectionists at @thevaluedlife