We all have to juggle the priorities of life, but how many of us break down and partially (or completely) sideline our obligations altogether when faced with the futility of trying to figure out what to do some days? When it happens to me, I end up just procrastinating and doing nothing at all. And it seems to be happening a lot lately.
Gotta keep at school, gotta go to work, gotta stay organized. Gotta pay bills, buy groceries, and keep things clean. There’s exercise to be had, shows to watch, books and newspapers to read and music to listen to. And then, on top of all that, there are hobbies and interests. Some days, I’ve got so many things to do that I don’t know what to do first, so I don’t do any of it at all. Sure, I end up getting the important chores addressed so I’m not living in squalor, but usually by the time they’re done, there’s just no “me” time left. Anyone who’s ever played the Sierra classic “Jones In The Fast Lane” knows what it’s like to rush around all week and get home with a just a tiny sliver of personal relaxation time. Interestingly, relaxation time was actually a necessary component to successfully winning the game, but you rarely got any of it until you were at the pinnacle of success. Of course, that was a game with an exaggerated time clock, but it parallels life pretty well in my estimation.
Lately, I just end up ignoring the obligations which could improve my life and rather than addressing them, I end up finding something to distract me from them, often in the form of a new hobby or an expansion of an existing hobby. I do this all fully aware that my money is better spent elsewhere, or better still, not spent at all. It’s not like I run myself into massive debt financially, but the loss of time in pursuing harmless distractions makes me feel like an idiot. I feel like a slacker with workaholic syndrome … if that makes any sense. I want to do the right things, but feel overwhelmed and just give up. “If only there were more hours in the day”, we think to ourselves. Obviously, life is more about filtering out the unimportant stuff than it is about adding extra hours to our day just to fit everything in. The only way to really do all the things you’d love to do is to be a millionaire playboy/playgirl who has time enough to get business taken care of and still enjoy life. I feel like I’m playing husband and housewife when all I really should be is a single guy in my twenties. Hell, I don’t even take vacations because I don’t have the time or money.
I feel like a lot of people have a few simple interests, and I have far too many. I tinker with computers, read books, create artwork, write music, play games, watch a few shows, play with radio-controlled cars, jog, cycle, weight train, and practice target shooting at gun ranges. I haven’t mentioned everything, but this list probably isn’t much longer than most people’s. Is this post is an attempt to address attention deficit disorder, hobby addiction, procrastination, time management problems, or the like? I dunno. Maybe I’ve got a mix of them all. As a student, I feel the concept of time management is useless anyway because most free time gets devoted to school anyway. I’ve never been one for academics, but I’m stubbornly chipping away at it because I still don’t have my degree. I also think this aspect of life sucks more time and energy out of me than anything, and I hate that. For me, school is an imposition and a perpetual weight on my shoulders, rather than an opportunity to explore new ideas. This could be because I’m not sure what I “want to do when I grow up”, but I digress.
I’m almost convinced that I need to sacrifice a few of my hobbies, but the thought of doing so feels like cutting off a limb because I don’t want to abandon them. My question for those who happily and successfully balance life with livelihood is essentially this: what personal pursuits have you had to sacrifice to do so?
Yes, I know this post is ironically long given the nature of the topic being about how to better manage one’s time. 