Simplify and Have Fun

Do minimalists have more fun? What exactly is “fun”? A recurring theme I’ve seen recently in social media, magazine articles, and self-help books is how to have fun. More fun! Unique fun! Make life fun! Make work fun! You get the idea. All of this attention on having fun has me asking myself whether I have enough fun in my life.

Skimming through some of the “how to have more fun” kind of articles, I note that many suggestions are on the trivial side (wink at someone, sing in the elevator, paint your toenails a bright color) mixed in with oft-listed suggestions (ride a bike, walk in nature, spend time with friends). Some suggest scheduling time for fun, others encourage us to be more spontaneous.

One of the benefits of minimalism and simplifying our lives is having more time for what adds value and meaning to our lives. If we live in smaller homes with fewer possessions, we can cut down on all the time it takes for maintenance. If we have applied the tools of simplifying to our work and personal duties, then we should have more time for the important stuff. Surely having more fun is one of the valuable ways to spend our additional time. Theoretically, minimalists should have more time and thus, more potential for fun.

I asked members in some social media groups focused on minimalism and simple living, what, if any, activities they had more time for. In other words, has minimalism give them more time for activities they enjoy? If so, how have they used that time?

Many people cited the BIG 3: reading, exercising, travel. Some mentioned having more time for hobbies or volunteer work. Some said they were able to adopt pets or spend more time with pets, and one talked about her passion for riding horses. Others focused on health and personal development, and many enjoyed more time with their loved ones. A few even began attending college and earning degrees (wow!), and one person mentioned watching television guilt free (thanks for admitting that!).

Now that I’m a mid-lifer and an empty nester, I definitely have more time for myself than in the past. I’ve also simplified my life, so I should be having fun a lot, right? So why is this question jumping out at me so often? Perhaps it’s because I don’t enjoy some of the activities typically listed as fun.

Watching soccer with my son gives me great joy!

More than a few articles suggest looking at your inner child or remembering how your ten-year-old self had fun. I barely remember those years, but what stands out most is reading and dancing. When I tried online dating, I saw that the sites often asked what you like to do for fun. Almost all the men listed camping and participating in sports as their fun activities. I hate camping and while I’m a soccer fan, I don’t play it myself. Pass. I’m guessing they would also give a pass at my idea of fun: decluttering a closet, curling up with a good novel, watching a British sitcom, or talking with girlfriends about how much we like living alone now that the kids are finally out of the house.

A friend of mine is in that initial giddy phase of being an empty nester. She loves leaving work to go to a quiet (and clean) home with no expectations of cooking. She can lounge in her PJs with no fear of the offspring bringing home friends. She also belongs to several groups and often mentions that she joined an activity because it gets her out of the house. I can understand that, but what if the activities we enjoy are usually done at home, often alone?

I spend my free time mostly reading and writing, watching some shows, and walking (ok, I do get outside for that one). I don’t want to participate in an activity purely because it gets me out of the house. I’m ok with spending a lot of time on my own, interspersed with a few activities out in the world. My idea of fun may not involve “boisterous action or speech,” but it does give me “amusement or enjoyment,” if in a quiet way. I have more time for my kind of fun than ever before, so to answer the question of whether minimalists have more fun, all I can say with certainty is this minimalist does!