What to Do When You Have Free Time and Don't Know What to Do

Free time is only wasted when it catches you unprepared. Keep a running list of things you have said "I wish I had time for" — books to read, places to visit, skills to try, recipes to cook, people to call. When free time arrives, open the list instead of defaulting to your phone.

The list does not need to be ambitious. "Sit in the park for 20 minutes" is a perfectly valid entry. The point is to have options ready, so your free time becomes a gift instead of a void you fill with scrolling.