grey time

As I am getting back into the swing of things in 2023 I reflect on a concept that I am sure already exists in some form and name; I call it “Grey Time”.

It’s simple, start to identify times in your life when you are idle and re-utilize that time to work towards your goals, life admin tasks etc.

I catch public transport for literally 3 hours each day for work; I see so many people on their phones watching their favourite shows, scrolling on TikTok. I suppose everyone has their own way to spend time… I just prefer feeling like I am working towards something and completing little tasks off my list.

As I write this very sentence I am on a public bus, half staring out the window as the houses go by, and half jotting down notes and I would like to think that this blog will be maintained primarily on grey time. I tend to finish a paragraph every 3 hours (+/-)

And it doesn’t stop there, it’s waiting in long lines, waiting for dinner to cook, catching steps on the treadmill etc. it’s a great tool to keep me from getting frustrated moments I can’t control and by just chipping away at tasks I can feel like I am accomplishing something.

Where I have found my grey time:

• travel, waiting for the train
• waiting in lines
• lunchtimes
• treadmill/machine cardio

Admittedly I don’t utilise 100% of grey time productively, sometimes all I want to do is stare out the window and daydream… And I am totally fine with that!

// Templates

I created a table to note the structure of my day, identifying what devices I use and the tasks that I aim to get done during specific timeframes.

The below example is a general day; Writing the timeframes in the first column with the second noting the devices/tools I may need to complete the activities that have been identified in the final column.

Blank Template // Is completely blank allowing you to add your timeframes