Even if you do, it would be better if you do not (ever) admit to having any “spare time” as our culture still revolves around one’s ability to stay focused for hours or days on end and being busy—all the time.
Because, unlike most addictions, workaholism is still very often admired, encouraged, and materially well-rewarded.
But why is this, when it has already been proven that “putting in the hours” does not make sense since it is not very productive and even risks health and lives?
And, frankly, I have observed that all those extra hours clocked in—working for somebody else—would no longer be recognized, nor would it be adequately appreciated, once it becomes habitual.
Still, people like talking about how busy they are, as if it’s a sign of success. Perhaps it is for some, but for most of us, it’s just a sign of being out of control.
Think about this, just how many people have lamented on their deathbeds: “I wish I had spent more time at the office!”?
The issue of time from a different angle
The number of hours available to us in a day may be fixed, but the quantity and the quality of energy available to us is not.
Since energy is our most precious resource, the more responsibility we take for the energy we bring into the world, the more empowered and productive we would become; however, the more we blame others or external circumstances, the more negative and compromised our energy would be.
So do you believe that there is an element of truth in the statement that energy (and not time) is the fundamental currency of high performance?
Then, act accordingly.
One way of recognizing the importance of energy is to have some quiet, uninterrupted time for yourself; to reflect on and to reorganise your life. Use this time to come to grips with your purpose and think of this—time spent exclusively on yourself—as an investment for abundant energy.
Do realize that you can not manage time; It’s the stuff of life. Instead, adopt better ways of using your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy to achieve your goals. Moreover, remind yourself that an achievement is more meaningful when it is derived from a base of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. And that literally means slowing down to succeed instead of following the crowd, chasing the “faster-faster mantra”.
There is time!
No one says: How do you have time to eat? How do you have time to sleep or have sex? You make time.
Or you give your time away to reduce that sense of time pressure.
You can easily regain control of your life by simply making more conscious decisions and then acting in line with your values. In other words, be your own person.
Wishing you all an engaging 2018 filled with winds of positive change.
“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” — William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania
“People are frugal in guarding their personal property, but as soon as it comes to squandering time, they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.” – Seneca, Roman philosopher
“Never get so busy making a living that you forgot to make a life.” — Dolly Parton
“It is a very good plan every now and then to go away and have a little relaxation … When you come back to the work your judgment will be surer since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose the power of judgment.” — Leonardo da Vinci
“Those who cannot appreciate time have the most money problems.” — Benjamin Franklin
Hi Andy
Fully agree. Thank you for sharing!
I felt 5 days work week x 8-9 hours + 1 hr lunch + travelling is too unbalanced. If it is 3.5 days work week or 4 hours everyday, just about right.
Haha
Hi FD,
The actual number of hours is not so decisive. It’s about having more control over our hours and how we spend them. We might even spend them with work that is very meaningful to us and thus does not even feel like work 😉
My FI is not to escape work, but that work is not my priority. I don’t mind working for that extra extra extra money but….balance is the tricky part. How many employers will allow part time, or anytime that you wish to, with the same hourly rate. Yes, if we have enough, why bothered with that extra. Our time in this world got no extra.
Ok, then back to the question, how much is enough?
Ok say i enjoy working but only willing to put in 20 hrs a week for a reasonable remuneration, so what is reasonable?
Ok…i am talking to myself again. Haha…
FI is all about choices. In particular about choosing our priorities.
The answer to that golden question “how much is enough?” is actually quite simple. Once we have found our own personal ‘level of enoughism’ we are truly rich. Not easy, not easy at all.
Unfortunately, it is only later in life when we realize that we don’t need much to be happy. Working as hard as we can to make money to buy the things we want is not a priority at all – in hindsight (damned – why only in hindsight?).
Precisely, hindsight. The unknown usually made people want to have more buffer. What if gst is 100% 10 yrs later? Etc etc. Then you downgrade from enough to not enough. Haha. So this uncertainty may become an excuse for people to continue to accumulate.
Another, human is greedy. Nothing wrong abt it. When u bought that dream hdb flat, you started to fantasize your condo friends lifestyle. Then you upgrade and realise your destiny is actually a landed. But realised good class bungalow is the answer. And no, an island maybe better. Most people stopped at hdb flat anyway. Lol.
Life is all about the continuous process of finding what you love to do, looking out for what the world needs, and seeking out a place what both can combine to good effect. For when that happens, you would have found your true calling: a state of equilibrium within knowing that the work you love to do makes you happy within, and at the same time, making other’s lives that much better.
Unfortunately, the society we have created today throws us out of balance and tries to make us forget about what it truly means to live all in the name of the country’s political agenda and economic growth.
Hi Thought Instrument,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. True, it is a bit a challenge to swim against societal conformance in order to find our true calling. But it is still allowed, and I think we’ll be happier for the trouble.
I checked out your blog just now. I like it. Thought provoking.
Hi Andy,
Agree with what you have shared. I have observed the same phenomenon as well; people equating a busy life with success.
Now, when I see such people, I ask myself some questions to stimulate my thinking and try to discern the psychological make-up of such individuals:
1). Would these people “busy” with what they are “busying” with if they were not paid to do so?
2). Are they high-flyers? If not, it shows that they might be occupying themselves with tasks of questionable value.
3). Are they overworked or are they simply inefficient?
4). Do they have plenty of time to whine on social media as to their busy schedule?
The answers come quite readily, and I’ll know who I am dealing with.
Cheers
UN
Hi UN,
Great questions. Thanks for sharing. Will try them out when I meet/talk to the next busy dweller.