by Anne Ueberbach
Assistant Director / Counsellor

It is important to note that down time is not the same as binging TV shows or mindlessly scrolling through your phone. Screen time actually stimulates the brain in a way that doesn’t allow for thinking and reflection, which is a big component of actual down time.

How to Incorporate Down Time into Your Family Life

A healthy family life needs time for play, relaxation and connecting. Balancing this with important and rewarding planned activities is important for children as well as adults. Here are some tips on how to incorporate down time into your family life:

1. Use your child’s boredom as an opportunity

Children who are used to receiving a lot of direction might struggle to know what to do when there’s nothing planned. You can use your child’s boredom as an opportunity to encourage them to find their own activity to fill their time with. Avoid jumping in too quickly with suggestions. Parenting isn’t just about structuring your child’s time efficiently, but also to plan for unstructured time to allow your child to seek out learning and stimulation through play.

2. Prioritize self-care and spend time alone

Prioritize self-care and find time in your regular schedule to enjoy your own company, preferably away from stressors such as work, partners or family. The same goes for your child – if you see them playing and engaging with themselves, don’t jump in straight away, but instead give them the opportunity to learn to enjoy their own company.

3. Schedule it in

Treat down time as a non-negotiable part of your family's daily or weekly routine. Taking a break is a commitment to your mental and physical wellbeing, which is just as important as following a balanced diet and regular exercise.

3. Schedule time without screens

Make sure you and your family have lots of time every day, with screens out of the way so you can let your minds wander and reflect. Leave devices behind and engage in activities that promote relaxation and connection.

4. Have unstructured family days

Try to allow for one day a week where you have no or minimal scheduled plans. You can see this as a break from everyday stressors and the rush of the weekdays. Unstructured family days don’t have to be activity-free days. Ask your child what they want to do with their day without needing to commit to anything and go with the flow of the day.

5. Reset priorities

If you find yourself struggling to implement down time in your family life due to too many ongoing commitments, consider sitting down with your family to identify how you could make time for down time (e.g. reducing number of extra-curriculum activities, etc.)

Conclusion

Reading and learning about down time strategies is the easy part in your journey on balancing your family’s busy lives. However, implementing them takes a lot of conscious effort and determination, especially if your children are enrolled in multiple extra-curricular activities and have a different birthday party to attend every other week. The truth is, we can’t always be on top of our daily goals as family life is often unpredictable, chaotic and tiring. The important takeaway here is that you need to implement these strategies in a way that suits your family’s needs. If you’d like assistance, consider booking an appointment with me to identify how down time can fit into your family’s busy schedule.