If in general the first time we do, experience, buy or learn something we get the most benefit, happiness or joy from it, moderation makes sense.
In my life, the two biggest resources I have are time and energy.
As a student, time is something I currently have a lot of. But I do run out of energy. Thus energy is my limited resource.
I always keep a running list of life projects in the back of my mind. Here are my current ones:
- Learn Korean
- Learn Mandarin Chinese
- Continue my meditation work
- Graduate from university
- Write this blog
- Improve fitness
- Self educate through reading
But the key to this is moderation. I only spend a few hours a week doing each activity (with the exception of schoolwork which I'll mention below). By dividing my time up, I keep variety in my activities. This means that for the first few hours, I actually enjoy what I'm doing. I'm focused on what I'm learning, and so I believe productive.
My schoolwork is an exception to this. And I believe it serves as a case for moderation. It's something those of us who have worked full time can relate to, I think.
When I'm studying at University, I take a full course load. 7 subjects per semester requires me to do a lot of textbook reading. So when I'm studying I rarely read anything else, whether for education or pleasure. I could use this effort to push through and force myself to read. Instead, I tend to go to the gym more. After using my brain for 6 hours a day, my motivation for doing something physical actually goes up. And by using this natural drive, I am maximizing the use of my energy.
Of course, I don't spend every waking second doing something productive. I like to relax and take things easy, so when I run out of energy here are some things I like to do:
- Watch movies
- Watch current affairs (yes, I actually enjoy this)
- Talk with friends
- Contact friends abroad
- Take day naps
A day nap is nice every now and then, but sometimes I just want to talk, or maybe I want to shut the brain off and watch a mindless action flick.
If you don't have a few options about things you want to do for your future, and things you want to do for now, I highly recommend it. Just like that first bite of cake is sweeter than the 50th, that first hour talking with friends, or that first 20 minutes of power napping is where the joy comes from.
