Stay Productive

People need to rest sometimes. That is a given. However, knowing how to find the proper balance between work and rest is not a given. Note that proper balancing of these two forces is different for each and every person. Nevertheless, it is up to each one of us to find the optimal mix for ourselves.

I work an average of forty hours per week. That is the expected minimum for full-time labor in the United States. When I am not working, I often play video games. Video games help me relax and take my mind off of real-world problems. That is the rest I sometimes need. However, the fact that I work on the computer eight hours a day and then feel the desire to stay on that computer to play video games evening after evening is a recipe for stagnation and isolation.

Finding oneself “sucked in” to any one particular hobby is not healthy, especially a hobby that does not round a person out or expose them to new knowledge or experiences. Despite having accumulated a personal library of books over the years, living with three roommates, and having access to an endless trove of useful information via the Internet and Netflix documentaries, I often find myself sticking to video games. The reason for this behavior is the familiarity and solidarity that video games bring me. In truth, I ought to branch out and take advantage of the resources already at my disposal.

It is important for each person to find balance among the hobbies they each gravitate towards. Although partaking in mindless hobbies is usually fun and easy, it is easy to overindulge. Vary your free time to allow some level of productivity to enter it, whether that involves learning new things, taking care of your body, or developing a new skill.

How do you find balance between work and rest? What are some of your hobbies? What hobbies are you interested in trying? Comment below!