One thing I find helpful is the idea, that you don't "deserve" a day to do nothing (as in, NOTHING... no work, no "fun" stuff, no plans...NO PLANS BEING THE KEY THING THERE, THAT REMAINS AS A "NO PLANS" DAY)... you are entitled to it. And the world won't end if you plunk yourself down once in a while and say, "Today, NOTHING. As in PURELY, TRULY, 100% NOTHING BUT ME, MYSELF, AND TUMBLR."
Of course, this doesn't address the more nuanced, day-to-day management of time. I mean, I don't know if this is helpful, but I used to be a mad busy person. Back in college and after (excluding grad school, because HOLY SHIT I can't even imagine), but just in general...it was like, "OKAY...VOLUNTEER FOR THIS CULTURAL ORG, PARTICIPATE IN THIS ACTIVITY, DO ALUMNI STUFF, WORK FULL TIME, WORK TWO JOBS, _insert insanity here_." College was the same way...I was crazy busy by choice, between running stuff for collegiate activities, double majoring, overloading on credits every semester...IT JUST GOT TO THE POINT OF SICKNESS. So that's all the last ten years or so...
And then. This year. I was like, "fuck this." I dropped all of it. I just couldn't do it anymore. I want my head space. I want to be able to come home and fucking write if I want to. I want to be left alone. I don't WANT to drag my ass down to _wherever I've committed it_ instead of just fucking going home and writing SOME GAY PORN. Or doing other productive things.
So mainly, I can't speak for obligations that you don't have a choice about -- grad school, long work days, and things of that nature -- but as far as getting super involved in everything... it is like, so okay to DROP IT and take a year (or more) to just TAKE A GODDAMN BREATH, and it doesn't mean you're a failure. Well, I don't know if that's your concern or even on your radar, but that's how I felt... Like, "If I don't "DO THIS SHIT" I am a failure; I need to be productive and assertive because I know am capable, and otherwise I'm wasting time! DO THINGS ALL THE TIME."
I'll probably pick my craziness back up again one day; I'm a competitive driven person who likes to get shit done and has lots of ideas. But for real...holy shit, sometimes you just have to STOP (if you have the choice). And it's perfectly alright to do so, because really, the only person you're racing against is yourself. You don't have to be perfect, or an overachiever, or the best. You are perfectly entitled to sit on your damn ass, stare into space, write a few lines of something, and then stare into space some more. It's your life, and I think it's important to ask a lot, "Is this making me happy?" (Within reason obviously... it's like... "I don't like grad school, but I'm doing because it will get me to This Other Place That Will Make Me Happy Somehow... there are trade offs and caveats of course, but that bottom line... "Does it make me happy? Is it worth it, in the time I have on earth, to dedicate my time and energy to This Thing?" is just one of those fundamental, compass-resetting questions.)
Again, don't know if this is helpful or hits any nails on the head, but that's how I relate. XD Hope you figure it out.
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Of course, this doesn't address the more nuanced, day-to-day management of time. I mean, I don't know if this is helpful, but I used to be a mad busy person. Back in college and after (excluding grad school, because HOLY SHIT I can't even imagine), but just in general...it was like, "OKAY...VOLUNTEER FOR THIS CULTURAL ORG, PARTICIPATE IN THIS ACTIVITY, DO ALUMNI STUFF, WORK FULL TIME, WORK TWO JOBS, _insert insanity here_." College was the same way...I was crazy busy by choice, between running stuff for collegiate activities, double majoring, overloading on credits every semester...IT JUST GOT TO THE POINT OF SICKNESS. So that's all the last ten years or so...
And then. This year. I was like, "fuck this." I dropped all of it. I just couldn't do it anymore. I want my head space. I want to be able to come home and fucking write if I want to. I want to be left alone. I don't WANT to drag my ass down to _wherever I've committed it_ instead of just fucking going home and writing SOME GAY PORN. Or doing other productive things.
So mainly, I can't speak for obligations that you don't have a choice about -- grad school, long work days, and things of that nature -- but as far as getting super involved in everything... it is like, so okay to DROP IT and take a year (or more) to just TAKE A GODDAMN BREATH, and it doesn't mean you're a failure. Well, I don't know if that's your concern or even on your radar, but that's how I felt... Like, "If I don't "DO THIS SHIT" I am a failure; I need to be productive and assertive because I know am capable, and otherwise I'm wasting time! DO THINGS ALL THE TIME."
I'll probably pick my craziness back up again one day; I'm a competitive driven person who likes to get shit done and has lots of ideas. But for real...holy shit, sometimes you just have to STOP (if you have the choice). And it's perfectly alright to do so, because really, the only person you're racing against is yourself. You don't have to be perfect, or an overachiever, or the best. You are perfectly entitled to sit on your damn ass, stare into space, write a few lines of something, and then stare into space some more. It's your life, and I think it's important to ask a lot, "Is this making me happy?" (Within reason obviously... it's like... "I don't like grad school, but I'm doing because it will get me to This Other Place That Will Make Me Happy Somehow... there are trade offs and caveats of course, but that bottom line... "Does it make me happy? Is it worth it, in the time I have on earth, to dedicate my time and energy to This Thing?" is just one of those fundamental, compass-resetting questions.)
Again, don't know if this is helpful or hits any nails on the head, but that's how I relate. XD Hope you figure it out.