How Do You Find Time For Joy?

In the daily shuffle, it can often seem like there is no time for joy! We wake up late, rush out the door to work barely getting a bite of breakfast, dash from meeting to meeting and come home too tired to do much more than watch some Netflix and flop exhausted into bed before waking up to do it all again. (And if you have kids, there are quite a few more steps in here as well!) In a life that feels like there’s no margin, how do you make space for joy?


Bathroom Time
Here is a quick way that I start the process of being In a state of joy. Use the time on the toilet not as a social media refresher, use it as a 3x3 time. Three minutes times three, gratitude, prayer, envision. If you don't get to a full three minutes don't worry, it's about the intent and making time for it in a simple way.




THINK SMALL
The first thing to remember is that what distinguishes joy is that it’s really small. Joy lives in moments. So rather feeling like you have to shoehorn another wellness practice into your already crowded morning routine, take the pressure off and remember that you don’t need a lot of extra space (or even any extra space) in your day to experience more joy.
One way that I find more joy is by focusing on the in-between moments. The practice of joyspotting, or intentionally looking for joy in your surroundings, is one way to do this. It’s a great practice for your commute or in between errands. Instead of burying my nose in my phone on my way to a meeting or to the airport, I try to gaze out the window and see what I notice.


TURN DOWNTIME INTO JOY-TIME
A little planning can help you turn odd slivers of time into joyful adventures. For example, if your working hours are flexible, why not time your commute to the sunset? If there’s a dog park in your neighborhood, can you adjust your route to swing by there so that you can see the pups play before you start your workday? I keep a list of “joy fieldtrip” destinations on my phone — stores, cafés, museums, galleries, murals, parks, etc. — along with their locations. Around you work or home are numerous things to bring you joy. Make it an effort and mark these locations. Put in your calendar time to visit once a week if possible to reflect and enjoy!


Hope this blesses you today-
Coach Milton