These days, it feels like 24 hours never suffices. I need 36-hour days with the possibility of extending the hours even further. There are simply too many things on my to-do list with such little time to complete them.
It gets worse when I think about hobbies. First of all, do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? Maybe hike up a trail, paint the sky, or read a cozy book? Either way, I hope you have an answer to this question. In other words, I hope you have a hobby.
But then comes the next question. If you have a hobby, do you dedicate time to your hobby? When did you last spend time on your hobby without watching the clock because you have other things to do?
Unfortunately, most of us cannot produce an answer to that question. These days, society pushes us to be the most productive human beings we can to contribute to society and achieve successful careers. This is great! However, as with all things in life, it comes with caveats.
The biggest caveat I foresee is burnout. With so much time spent on hustling, where is the time for yourself? I struggled to dedicate time for myself in the form of hobbies; I would feel guilty because there was pressure to hustle and complete the next item on my to-do list.
But, that’s the irony! To hustle, you need to not burn out. To not burn out, you need to take time away from hustling and allocate that time to yourself. It is a full-circle moment and a delicate balancing act.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from pushing myself during my undergraduate years, it is that I need to set time away from myself. When I took care of myself first, my grades often reflected my well-being (even if I had to take time away from studying). Everything is connected so please protect yourself and well being to protect your future goals.
So, back to hobbies. First, reflect and identify your hobbies—things that bring you genuine joy. Then, allocate time to these hobbies even during the busiest times of the year. Finally, allow yourself to enjoy the hobby wholeheartedly and be happy :)
Please put yourself first!
Comentários