# Sudden increase in spare time- how to fill it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412 "2012-10-11T13:29:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/1 "2012-10-11T13:29:11Z")
So, Dopers. I have a lot of time stretching out before me for the next month or so and relatively few productive things I can do with it. I’d like some suggestions on how to fill the rest of that time up. Anything to make it go by a little faster or make it feel just a teeny bit enriching or something. Things to do while wandering a small city would be nice, but I’ll take book/show/movie recs too. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/2 "2012-10-11T13:54:25Z")
Can you give us some parameters to work with: I live near x, my budgetary constraints are y, etc? I am sure you will get the ball rolling real quick if you can give it a little shove. My initial responses are: get in some good reading, go on a history tour near where you are (aka: find out what is special about where you live, wiki the hell out of it, go look at where things happen), review your regrets list and see if any can be reduced (ex: I don’t see my sister often enough, etc.) That’s a few to start. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/3 "2012-10-11T14:10:13Z")
more exercise 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/4 "2012-10-11T14:26:00Z")
Take up a language Go to meetups Learn to knit or crochet Bake your own bread Catch up with books you’ve been meaning to read. Visit whatever museums are free in your area (I especially like little, odd museums) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/5 "2012-10-11T14:52:06Z")
One of my favorite “wandering around” pastimes is taking pictures of random things that catch my eye: interesting buildings, signs, posters, handbills, odd items in store windows, that kind of thing. Even in a small town I can waste a couple of hours, and sometimes it leads to interesting conversations with local residents. ---
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/6 "2012-10-11T15:53:02Z")
> [@2gigch1](#): > > Can you give us some parameters to work with: I live near x, my budgetary constraints are y, etc? > > I am sure you will get the ball rolling real quick if you can give it a little shove. Sure. I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I have very little money (on disability), and most things that require sustained concentration are out. I already know most of the local history. It was a good suggestion, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/7 "2012-10-11T16:46:50Z")
Take some online courses! [https://www.coursera.org/](https://www.coursera.org/) ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/8 "2012-10-11T16:48:19Z")
Video games. Video games kill every spare moment you have. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/9 "2012-10-11T18:57:40Z")
Guild Wars 2? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/10 "2012-10-11T19:16:28Z")
You are here and you have to ask? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/11 "2012-10-11T19:25:50Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Video games. Video games kill every spare moment you have. That was my first thought. What with Steam and GOG and so forth, I could sit at the computer full time every day all year without doing anything but play, including sleeping and eating, and still not run out of game. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/12 "2012-10-11T19:31:45Z")
Do you have any things you always wanted to do but never had time for? Like reading all of Shakespeare, or Mark Twain, or Dickens? That stuff is available free on line, and is enriching. I’d do puzzles to break up the reading. Watching TV series from Netflix or whatever your equivalent is is nice and time consuming also. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/13 "2012-10-11T19:35:12Z")
Okay great that’s plenty to work with. The parameters appear to be time consumption, cheap, not requiring concentration. My suggestion would be to set a physical goal for example taking a long walk every day. Set an objective in each days walk and be prepared to fail at that objective. The goal is to first to try to do something that you don’t believe you can do and succeed at it. Second even if you fail you’ll still be gaining something out of it the exercise and better health. Or do whatever else you want to do. But make the goal of expanding your limits and trying to do something you don’t normally do your adventure, and make it something that even if you fail it will be useful. Pushing and exceeding your limits is always laudable. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/14 "2012-10-11T20:30:57Z")
World of Warcraft! $15 a month for the subscription (and you have to buy them game itself), although you can try it for free for a week or 2. I don’t know if that’s out of your price range. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/15 "2012-10-11T20:38:51Z")
You can finally [read _Infinite Jest_, watch The Wire, play Skyrim, and do fourth thing that take a long time!](http://drmcninja.com/) ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-increase-in-spare-time-how-to-fill-it/637412/16 "2012-10-12T16:43:55Z")
If your mobility allows and you have a car - If you have a good book and a folding chair, you could kill a few hours at Crystal Crescent beach. As you know autumn in Halifax is wonderful. A half bottle of wine and some sandwiches from Pete’s Frootique and you’re all set. I like the boardwalk in the harbour as well. Also, in West Dover, on the way to Peggy’s Cove, Shaw’s Landing has mindblowing chowder and a nice view. I don’t know if they’ve closed for the season yet.