From what I am reading in the blogosphere, it seems that many of us are in the same boat – bad economy= too much work = no life. It is a simple, but unbalanced equation.
I am tired of thinking about it, complaining about it, and otherwise being consumed by it. But as sure as the sun will rise on another workday, it is unavoidable. Like good soldiers, we do what we have to do, however unpalatable, and hope that tomorrow (and tomorrow) will be a better day.
There are two realities about this:
1. It will take some time before the economy (=workload) will change
2. It is completely within our control to balance our lives
If you get past the disturbing assumption that there are 24 hour in a day and seven day in a week to get your work done, there is space in there somewhere for something vaguely resembling a life. It is a mindset change and I do not for a moment consider it an easy one. At the end of the work day, I have nothing left. I am tired, irritated, sometimes angry, sometimes depressed, and always ready to do nothing. That has to change. Television, mindless websites, snacking, and playing with your smartphone do not count. Reading, writing, walking, playing (for me, that means a musical instrument)… there are so many easy ways to get a little balance in these little opportunities of otherwise empty time. So why is it so damn hard?
I find that when I look at a clock, I see it as T-minus however many hours before I have to work. Yet another necessary mindset change. When I have been happiest, it has been during a time when I was living in the moment and didn’t see time as such a linear inevitability toward the next workday.
There is life in those empty spaces. Time to go exploring…
I am tired of thinking about it, complaining about it, and otherwise being consumed by it. But as sure as the sun will rise on another workday, it is unavoidable. Like good soldiers, we do what we have to do, however unpalatable, and hope that tomorrow (and tomorrow) will be a better day.
There are two realities about this:
1. It will take some time before the economy (=workload) will change
2. It is completely within our control to balance our lives
If you get past the disturbing assumption that there are 24 hour in a day and seven day in a week to get your work done, there is space in there somewhere for something vaguely resembling a life. It is a mindset change and I do not for a moment consider it an easy one. At the end of the work day, I have nothing left. I am tired, irritated, sometimes angry, sometimes depressed, and always ready to do nothing. That has to change. Television, mindless websites, snacking, and playing with your smartphone do not count. Reading, writing, walking, playing (for me, that means a musical instrument)… there are so many easy ways to get a little balance in these little opportunities of otherwise empty time. So why is it so damn hard?
I find that when I look at a clock, I see it as T-minus however many hours before I have to work. Yet another necessary mindset change. When I have been happiest, it has been during a time when I was living in the moment and didn’t see time as such a linear inevitability toward the next workday.
There is life in those empty spaces. Time to go exploring…
8 comments:
Eh,the economy is the least of my worries..especially this month.But no life...yeah,big time,and I'm working on it..but that is hard when you're so picky about who gets in.I don't like aquantences..I prefer friends,but to be friends you must first be aquantances...drama!
The clock is the enemy of productivity and life in general..I rule mine by what time it is and when I have to be here or there...hard wired.I need to be forced into making time to not make time or make time to make time.
What was I saying..oh yeah..f the economy..what about my life?
Oh, I have a life...perhaps too much of one, sometimes. I work about 45 hours a week, then the biz, then the dogs, the parents...& then friends. Somewhere in there, I have a marriage, too!
One thing we've been trying to do is not overschedule ourselves. It used to be that we'd have our social plans booked for 2-3 months in advance, & that left no time for spontaneous plans. Ack!
Well, if nothing else, it feels good to have actually written something, however short or lacking in quality. Better still are comments that make me remember that there is intelligent life out there... Thanks, guys...
Ditto....the emptiness in my head has seemingly pushed the empty places to the side, where they continue to gather dust.
You can't let go of the little things that make you who you are -- it's what seperates us from the ants . . .
I have a life...I just want a better one. The one I want to have before I'm so old it becomes another life, altogether. Hmmm...
Yeah... I want to go back to that time when I was really happy... I can't quite explain it... I wasn't "out" yet, and I didn't have a significant other, but, I was happy... I think because at "that" time, so many things were new and exciting in a way. I had a job, I liked it, I had friends at my job whom I liked very much, so much so that I gave almost everyone a personal Hallmark card that fit their own unique personality... The thing is, I made money at my job and I was comfortable to do with it as I wished...
Bottom line... Money isn't important to me in how it "defines" me, in that case, I could really care less... However, having money and having it disappear the next day after payment due to bills, really bothers me... and as a result, I don't feel comfortable. Most of the time I pretend that the bills/money issue doesn't exist, and I'm able to feel comfortable for a while, but not completely.
I would love to have that true sense of comfort back! Even the things I love become more of an escape from the uncomfortableness, instead of it being me passing the time doing something I love... You know what I mean? *sigh*
Still, as sarcastic as I can be, I've always been an optimist... There's some balance in there somewhere... the light, the dark... You know. :-)
It could just be me, but whenever I leave my work environment (and school), I'm really good at not even thinking about it. And my general rule for weekends with friends is that when we're out and about or hanging out, work and school are not things we're allowed to discuss. I think it all came thanks to working as a camp counselor for three years... when you work nearly 24/7 for a few months, you get a whole new perspective on things. :)
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