Last week I had read that interesting quote about having time for everything.  (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, scroll down two posts.  It's right there.)  It was the whole idea that if all of these great, famous people from history can accomplish so much, surely the everyday person will be able to do just as much.

Well, it turns out I am neither great nor famous, although I am a person.  But otherwise, that's all we have in common.

I felt motivated, ready to tackle the world.  Time was no longer an excuse for me to not accomplish or complete things.  Anything and everything was achievable.

But since that time, I have been able to allow reality to set in.

I took an inventory of how much time I am spending on things and how much I want to spend on life.  I discovered that I am spending 48 hours a week in school.  That doesn't even include homework time yet.  Easily add another 15-30 hours per week for that.

Yikes.

There are only 168 hours in a week.  That means I'm spending almost half of them on or in or travelling to and from school.

That's a lot.

Plus I like to sleep.  (Not too much.  In a perfect world I would never have to sleep again--I like accomplishing things more than sleeping.  Actually, I can't stand sleeping.  It is a total waste of time!  So let me rephrase that, I have to sleep.)  Let's go with 50-60 hours a week (wow, I'm being generous there).  The way my math works, that gives me 38 hours each week for "extra."  By extra, I of course mean exercising, family time, unstructured relaxation, chores, church, meal preparation, and social life.  Oh, and of course writing and other hobbies.

38 hours is a lot.  But it's really not enough.  Maybe I'm just crazy, but I don't see the balance there.  70-80 hours of working my "donkey" off and less than half the time to enjoy life?  Hmm.  And can I even call it all enjoyment?  Really, who likes chores?  Having to keep up a house, grocery shopping, meal planning, running around to take my daughter to her extra-curricular activities?  Sure, I like driving (and of course I love my daughter!  But I'm an introvert--I crave me-time more than anything else in the world; I can't survive without it!).  I also like mashed potatoes.  But that doesn't mean that I should spend all of my "free time" with mashed potatoes.  That's just ridiculous.  Tempting, but nevertheless ridiculous.

So I'm sorry, Mother Theresa.  You did some awesome things in your life, but did you have to spend 80 hours a week on school?  Yes, Michelangelo, you painted some awesome chapel ceilings, but how long did it take you?  Months and months and months.  Try doing it all every single week.  It's not even that my program is difficult, it's just really time consuming.  So I'm sorry awesome quote, but I don't think you're so awesome anymore.  You're just full of a bunch of famous names and offer a view of a reality that does not exist!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have about 41 hours of school to attend to.
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10/9/2009 04:51:55 am

I don't think I'd enjoy devoting 100% of my time to working.

I don't think I'd enjoy you devoting 100% of your time to working. I'm selfish.

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