Sometimes, small chunks open up in the marble of the day. A restaurant asks you to wait. A friend runs late. A meeting ends early.

In these moments, life presents you with the rare gift of spare time. You could sit down and use your phone. You could also make something more energizing happen. Here’s what I like to do:

• Go for a walk, not too far away. Sometimes, if the atmosphere is relaxed enough, I’ll find a place to pace.
• Write blog posts in the Notes app on my phone, like this one. 
• Close my eyes, take some intentional breaths, and do a micro-meditation.
• Stretch my body and make adjustments to my posture.
• Keep my ears open and listen to what’s happening around me, whether it’s ambient sounds or conversations.

It’s all simple enough. I try to do things that quiet down the chatter in my mind. 

As long as I remember the time is a gift, I’ll do something that makes me feel more clear-headed. I didn’t write this list down until now, and I’m sure it’ll be a helpful reminder to myself.