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How do you relax?
By Emily Ratay — Written on May 07, 2019
It’s pretty uncommon to not be busy in today’s world. As a result finding free time is harder than ever.
I mean, we’re all so busy all the time that having any kind of downtime feels like a luxury.
I don’t know about you, but I have to actually schedule me time into my planner if I actually want to have time to relax and unwind.
And even then, I still find myself looking at my watch, counting down the minutes until my free time is over. Really, it’s a sickness. But I’m not the only one who feels like not doing anything means I’m wasting my time.
We’re so conditioned to feel like being busy is the only valid feeling that even we’re you’re on vacation, you’re still plugged into your phone, scheduling activities for every hour of the day, and sometimes even working on the days when you don’t have anything planned.
As weird as it sounds, we can be addicted to being busy. For some of us, being busy is equal to being happy. We feel like we’re getting sh*t done, kicking butt and taking names, and generally being superstars when we’re busy. I mean, that feeling that you get when you check something off of your to-do list?
There are few things better than that. The rest of us are addicted to being busy because it gives us a reason to not confront the things we have to do. Rather, we can pretend to be busy with other things instead of our responsibilities, that way we can use our real responsibilities as an excuse later.
Like when you go to the library to get some studying done, when all you’re really doing is organizing and reorganizing your highlighters by color until it’s time to go home. And then, over the weekend, when your best friend asks you to hang out with her (awful) new boyfriend, you have a legitimate excuse to say no.
Very convoluted, but there are those of us out there who do just that. That’s not to say you aren’t actually busy, but we all make excuses every now and then to pretend like we’re busier than we are. When you are busy, though, it can be a nightmare to find any personal time in your daily schedule.
Simply saying that you’ll find time is easier said than done. What’s easier than adding something new to your schedule is working with your current schedule.
For example, instead of going out of your way to go to the gym after work every day (which will never happen), use the personal time you have after you wake up and before you hop in the shower to do a quick workout right at your place or take a walk during your lunch break.
You’re not adding anything new to your schedule really, but rather enhancing what you already have planned. Also, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to be available to everyone all the time. You don’t have to answer your texts right away, and you don’t even have to answer your phone when someone calls.
Learning how to set boundaries means you’re giving yourself equal opportunity for alone time and time with friends and family. Each zodiac likes to spend their free time differently… how do you like to spend yours?
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Aries, you like to spend your personal time staying active. You’re known for being down to try just about anything, but you don’t need to be invited to go rock climbing or skydiving to feel like you’re getting your daily dose of physical activity. As long as you aren’t spending your precious downtime as a couch potato, you’re happy.
Even if you did try spending your free time lounging on the couch, you have way too much energy to stay in one place for too long. Plus, it’s nice to know that you always have a healthy outlet on hand when you’re stressed or grumpy, not just when you have some free time.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
Taurus, you like to spend your personal time relaxing your mind. You’re no stranger to being a couch potato - oops, I mean relaxing your body - but even when you’re lounging after a long week at work, your mind is still going 100 miles a minute. Trust me, I get it. It’s hard to shut off your mind when you’re always plugged into your phone, processing the day, or thinking about the rest of your week.
Whenever you have some downtime, you like to relax your mind as much as possible. That means putting your phone on silent, getting off social media for a while, and just doing something you enjoy. There aren’t a lot of luxuries in life that don’t cost a lot of money, but allowing yourself to chill out and relax feels like one of the best luxuries to you.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
Gemini, you like to spend your personal time learning something new. Whether you’re browsing new makeup techniques on Instagram or firing up your favorite language app to learn some saucy French words, technology is a great way for you to learn new things the Gemini way.
Let’s be honest - in this day and age it’s almost impossible to be without your phone for very long. So, instead of making yourself feel bad for always having your phone glued to your hand, you like to put your love of technology to use by feeding your curiosity and learning something new. You’re super smart, Gemini. Don’t stop using your free time to broaden your horizons.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
You don’t feel like you always have to leave the house just to enjoy your free time, Cancer. But you also don’t like to waste your free time being lazy. That’s why you like to spend your personal time being productive. Even if your Sunday consists of doing your laundry and meal prepping for the upcoming week, you still feel like you used your downtime positively.
For you, home life is everything. As the crab of the zodiac, you hold everything that is near and dear to you very close, just like the crab holds his entire home on his back. That’s why you like using your personal time to create the best possible life for yourself at home by being productive and getting things done.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
You’re always so busy, Leo. Whether you’re putting your nose to the grindstone at work, or you’re on your way to meet friends for dinner and drinks, you’re always on the go. Clearly, you don’t like to use your time for anything that isn’t fun or important. When you do have some free time (which isn’t very often), you like to use your personal time to work on a passion project.
You know how easy it is for time to fly. Before you know it, it’s time to get some beauty sleep! That’s why, whenever you have personal time to kill, you use it to work on your latest passion project, making sure it gets as much love as the projects you do at work and the time you spend with loved ones.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
You’re the kind of zodiac sign that prefers NOT to have any downtime because it means you’re not utilizing your personal time productively (or so you think). You like always being on the go or being busy because it means you’re getting sh*t done, Virgo!
That said, when you do have personal time to spare, it makes you nervous. What if you end up binge-watching Game of Thrones and eating Lucky Charms straight from the bag for the next six hours?!
That’s why you like to spend your personal time bettering yourself. You enjoy going to the gym, finishing that book that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand, and trying a new face mask. Free time doesn’t come often for you, so when it does, you like to make sure it doesn’t go to waste.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
As a social butterfly, it’s not easy for you to stay away from socializing and having fun with friends for too long, Libra. Even when you’re busy with work and other responsibilities, you always make sure that you stay connected to your squad over text.
When you do have personal time, you like to spend it catching up with friends. One of the best things about you is your ability to stay in touch with people, even when you haven’t seen each other in years.
You want the people in your life to know that no amount of time or distance can tear apart your bond. You like using your personal time catching up with old friends and making plans with new ones because that’s what gives you life.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Scorpio, you like to spend your personal time checking off your to-do list. Let’s be honest, your to-do list is about as long as your arm, and if you don’t make a dent in it while you have some free time, it’s going to start collecting dust inside of your phone where you keep it.
Even if your to-do list is a bunch of tasks like “change lightbulb in bathroom” and “buy blueberries,” it’s oh so satisfying to be able to check things off your list and move on. And since you are the kind of zodiac sign to get ultra motivated when you’re in the zone, your personal time is definitely not going to waste.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
You are all about travel and adventure, Sagittarius. Life is way too short for you to not enjoy every minute of every day, so when you have personal time to kill, you like using it to explore a new place. Like the new hot yoga studio by your apartment or that hidden bookstore you always walk past on your way to work.
Who knows? You might just find your new favorite haunt when you’re doing some explorin’ - you’ll never know until you check it out. Plus, you like expanding your horizons and learning new things. And what better way to do both of those things than by exploring and hunting out new adventures?
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
Capricorn, you like to spend your personal time doing something you love. You’re definitely not in the business of doing things for the heck of it, so whenever you have some downtime, you like to utilize it by doing something that’s important to you. This might be diving into one of your favorite hobbies for a few hours, or teaching yourself a new hobby, but either way, you use your free time for good.
You are a very motivated zodiac sign once you get started on a project. As soon as you dive into a hobby, your personal time flies by. You might be exhausted at the end of the day, but you can definitely say that you used your free time wisely. And that's all that matters to you as a Capricorn.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Aquarius, you like to use your personal time doing something with a purpose. You wish you could help everyone in the world, but alas, that’s easier said than done. Instead, you like to use your downtime packing up clothes for donation or volunteering to clean up your local park.
The point is to make sure that you are doing something that has value. You might be a very busy bee, but you will always make time to help those in need. Even if you need to work hard to schedule this free time into your busy week, it's worth it if it has an important purpose behind it.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Pisces, you like to spend your personal time being creative. Your imagination has no limits, Pisces. You could be stuck at work doing something crazy boring (don’t worry, I won’t tell your boss), but inside your head, the gears are turning and you're thinking about what creative project you'll take on next.
Music and art are very big influences in your life. Whenever you have some free time, you like using it to weave, paint, write a song, or upload some poetry to Instagram. Being creative inspires and calms you - and when work and life get stressful, you like knowing that you have something fun and relaxing to fall back on when you need it.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes. She plans on writing a non-fiction book in the future.