Free time is great but I've also found it can lead to lots of time of unnecessary thinking/worrying.
Story of my life!
Recently it's been all about getting up early in the morning so that I feel naturally energized for the upcoming day. Try to socialize and network with people, because just as this site functions as a hub for explorative ideas, so, too, will your social networks in-person (and they may even lead to more practical ideas, as those you spend time with live in the same area, are exposed to the same environment, and generally have adapted. We are social creatures - don't be afraid to take their lead!)
I'm a DJ and drummer, so I spend a lot of time mixing and producing music. "Jamming" with people is always a possibility, although my live-instrument friends aren't much around any longer.
When I'm utterly alone, I like reading books - love reading books, in fact - and, believe it or not, reading up on psycho/neuropharmacology, as I consider it a hobby of mine. I'm infatuated with discussing subjects relevant to the topic on online forums and learning/exploring from there. I meditate. Sometimes I'll go on bike rides or walks in the woods with my camera and, feeling inspired, take some shots of the serenity that surrounds us at all times. I can extend this activity later on by uploading the photos to my computer and editing them, creating some really wild pieces of artwork.
Speaking of artwork, I have volumes of sketchpads filled with pictures in just about every medium. Sometimes all it takes is for me to make a simple
attempt at any of these activities, and it's off to the races. Especially with music. I (me) feel disgustingly unproductive in front of the idiot box, and hardly (if ever) watch it. The most time I think I've spent in front of a TV in the past year was in the waiting room of my dentist last week lol.
So there are some ideas. I'm not always motivated and sometimes feel unproductive and in a rut. But when I'm doing well, these are the things that keep me going.
~ vaya