It is a well-known fact that life can get busy sometimes. Balancing school, homework, extracurriculars, family, friends, and more can become quite a difficult chore. However, navigating life’s ups and downs can be made easier with one necessary thing that seems to be lacking in our world right now: free time. 

Free time is an amazing opportunity to engage in leisure activities and hobbies, which are vital for our mental health. However, most high school students don’t get many opportunities to partake in these. 

It seems like every weekday, I go to school, do homework, eat dinner, do more homework, and then go to bed. While some extracurriculars and sports are thrown into my schedule some days, I still feel like I never have enough time to do something purely for my enjoyment. 

Free time is so important for a variety of reasons, and it does come with many benefits. Utah State University says reduced stress, depression, and anxiety, along with better social connections, are all results of engaging in hobbies. This shows how dedicating part of the free time you do have can play a big role in your mental health. 

These benefits are especially important for high schoolers. In high school, it seems like there is always a reason to be under a state of stress or pressure, whether that’s worrying about doing well on a test, performing well at a big game, perfecting a piece for a concert, or simply fitting in. I know these types of things can really add up for me between homework, clubs, soccer, piano, and more.

However, even though we are all very busy, there are often ways we can fit free time into our schedules. One way to do this is to do less of other things. For example, many teenagers spend a lot of time daily scrolling through their phones, without even knowing how much time is going by. Being on your phone doesn’t really benefit you at all, and the time you spend scrolling could be devoted to more meaningful activities that, in turn, could benefit your mental health and happiness.

Another key point is taking advantage of free time when you do have it. Instead of playing video games for three hours, choose a healthier activity that doesn’t involve staring at a screen and staying still. Spend time outdoors, socialize, bake something, or read. All these – and plenty more activities – will come with many benefits.

All in all, while free time is a rare treasure, it does come around once in a while. When it does, make sure you use it to your advantage by engaging in meaningful activities, which can benefit your mental health and overall happiness greatly.