Time is a valuable thing, and no one likes having it wasted. That is why it can be helpful to be aware of how one is spending it. How each person chooses to spend his or her time is different, and as a result, some people are inarguably busier than others. But what does it mean to be “busy?” And do those who are less “busy” have reason for guilt?
Each day, other than sleeping and eating, our time is spent toward one of two broad activity types — work and play. There is an entire spectrum ranging from those who obsessively work without cease, striving only for necessity or serious purpose, to those who do not work at all, striving only for enjoyment and recreation, the things associated with play. Generally, it is agreed that neither of these extremes is healthy for an individual. Instead, most try to strike a balance between their work and their play.
Yet, the choice to pursue play, or free time, or leisure, can have a negative connotation of laziness or irresponsibility, even when it makes up only a small percentage of a person’s time.
Why is this? It may be due to a common pressure to be busy people, or people who are focused and invested in jobs, classes, studying, organizing, communicating, etc. I do not challenge the importance of these things, or of grit in general. Thomas Edison said, “There is no substitute for hard work,” but I believe there is also a place for play, free of guilt.
The amount of time put into our work is a major factor in success, but the intensity of our focus for that work is also significant. Taking time for breaks, especially if intentionally planned, can serve to enhance that focus for later work sessions.
As a college student faced with courses, homework, and extracurricular involvements, it can be natural to want to tackle tasks relentlessly, be productive, and fill my plate with as many activities as possible. I have found, however, that each of those activities are embellished when I am not overloaded with them, and instead strike a balance with pockets of free time. It is most easily done when such breaks are planned in advance. Then you can enjoy that free time without the guilt in the back of your mind caused by that paper you should probably start on.
This certainly is not a new idea, but remember that there are different types of busy. You can be busy with improving hobbies, habits, and beliefs during free time, whether that is from reading more, learning a new musical instrument, playing a sport without the pressure of being on an official team, or simply having more conversations with other people. Great personal growth can come out of this type of play just as well as any work.
Next time you’re feeling burned out, don’t feel bad for taking the time you need to work out a different part of your brain or simply enjoy what the world has to offer, whether that is nature, music, or even Netflix. Seek to strike a healthy balance between work and play.
