Waste a little time!
I often feel guilty when I take some time for myself. My endless to-do lists loom over me, reminding me of all the things I need to get done — for basic living, my kids, family, work, finances, home maintenance, self-improvement goals, meeting up with people, reading topics I’m interested in, building new skills, and more. It never ends.
When I schedule a day off, I usually spend the night before creating lists of things I need to immediately take care of. I block off calendar times and make a top 5 list for the weekend. But they never get fully checked off.
I don’t include irrelevant things on my lists. I’m good at deleting tasks I haven’t touched in a while and likely don’t need to deal with yet. But between home, family, and work responsibilities, I still have a packed schedule. So when I do spend time relaxing or enjoying a hobby, guilt inevitably creeps in. Can you relate?
I’ve realized taking time to enjoy life is not selfish.
I still have obligations to take care of, but I also deliberately block off time to let everything go. For example, on Friday nights I turn everything off and meet a friend for a drink, binge-watch shows, or read a fantasy book. And yes — that weekend to-do list remains untouched till Saturday!
I also schedule work blocks over the weekends to make headway on pressing items. But I balance it out with designated time-wasting blocks as well, like watching an entire TV season in one weekend! Do I feel guilty about not checking things off my list? Sure, every time! But c’est la vie — I’ll deal with it all on Monday.
When an urgent home or work issue crops up, my weekend gets consumed and the following week is brutal trying to catch up. Then there are weekends where I end up mindlessly frittering away hours surprised at how the time flew by. Did I really accomplish nothing? Probably not. But it’s fine — I must’ve enjoyed myself.
Make all the lists you need to stay accountable over responsibilities. Don’t become someone who ignores duties and overburdens their family or colleagues.
But do make time to take breaks, go on walks, binge your favorite shows, have coffee or drinks with friends, watch movies, and waste time enjoying life’s simple pleasures.
Be a little selfish in prioritizing your happiness. Yes, you might still feel guilty afterward. That is OK. However, those wasted times are fulfilling experiences, and you will realize that the day after. It will be worth it the next day.
Until next time, Cheers,
Amit
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