--- title: The Free Time Jackpot description: Lisa Hess explains 6 reasons we can appreciate a break from the usual routine. What would you do if you hit the free time jackpot? image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/free-time-f.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2020/03/11/the-free-time-jackpot/#) [WORK](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/work) # The Free Time Jackpot Mar 11, 2020 2:00:03 PM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/free-time-f.jpg) !["Free time jackpot" by Lisa Hess (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/free-time.jpg) Image credit: [Pixabay.com](”https://pixabay.com/images/id-4467120/”) (2019), CC0/PD[/caption] As I write this, I am one day into my last week of classes before winter vacation. I enjoy teaching but, c'mon -- who doesn't like a break? Here are 6 reasons why I *love* my breaks. **No alarm clocks.** I am not a morning person, and being able to get up without an alarm is perhaps my favorite part of break. **Blogging in the morning. **I started this blog post before 9 AM and it has taken me nearly 12 hours to get back to it. I love that I can get up and blog right away and get my posts out during "normal business hours." **Writing time. **I have two novels ready for revision and the next step, which will be different for each of them, is just waiting for me to have time to take it. Full days to myself with no course responsibilities will, I hope, allow me to make progress on at least one of them. **Reading time. **As I type this, I have met my goal of reading daily** **every day this month.** **That may sound like a small thing but, for me, it's actually a big accomplishment. A week off at the beginning of March means I can kick-start my reading goal in a brand new month, guilt-free. **Time to put things in order. **Thanks to time spent [organizing by style](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), my house is in better shape than it used to be, but there are always piles, projects, and, of course, daily tasks that require time and attention. Break gives me an opportunity to dig into those, at my leisure. **Less fretting over what I should be doing. **Clearly, I have a list but the beauty of break is that I can split my list up it into small pieces and tackle it as I wish. There will be appointments and papers to grade but unscheduled time means I can spend more time content with what I am doing in the moment and less time [shoulding myself](https://l2hess.blogspot.com/2019/01/friday-features-are-you-shoulding.html). Now, only one thing remains -- to make sure the week stays balanced. I've kept the early part of the week free of appointments in order to balance out the ones that landed at the end of the week. I'm also endeavoring to keep even fun appointments (lunch and coffee dates, for example) off the books so I can maximize the gift of time vacations bring. Then, at the end of the week, my daughter comes home for *her *break. Sometimes, it takes a break to not only get things done, but to appreciate the beauty of what we are doing in the moment. ### What would make your list if you hit the free time jackpot? --- *Copyright 2020 Lisa Hess* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F03%2F11%2Fthe-free-time-jackpot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F03%2F11%2Fthe-free-time-jackpot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F03%2F11%2Fthe-free-time-jackpot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20Free%20Time%20Jackpot) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F03%2F11%2Fthe-free-time-jackpot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2020%2F03%2F11%2Fthe-free-time-jackpot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ Keeping on Top of Things Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/07/03/keeping-on-top-of-things/) [ STYLE Savvy: Closet Don'ts Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/11/02/style-savvy-closet-donts) [ STYLE Savvy: Time Management Your Way Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/03/28/style-savvy-time-management-way/) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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