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Thread: Time Management Philosophy

  1. #1

    Default Time Management Philosophy

    I suppose this topic isn't exactly one that the great philosophers pondered a whole lot. It's surely not some great mystery of the cosmos. But how I spend my time is critical to whether or not I'm happy in life. And I think that's true of just about anyone.

    Looking back at high school, I wasted a lot of time. The countless nights I spent going out with friends or going to their houses where we did absolutely nothing. I have nothing against any of my friends, and most of my high school buddies keep in close contact with me. But the sheer amount of days and weeks even in which we aimlessly drove around from place to place, restaurant to restaurant, house to house, where it usually ended up being one or two guys playing video games as the rest of the people in the room watched them play.

    Even then, I felt pangs of unease at how my quite substantial free time was wasted away by not accomplishing anything. Then last year I got a full time job, but the weekends consisted of the same kind of aimless get-togethers. My unease was further advanced since a few in the group made a point to always draw attention to themselves in public, be extremely rude, and at times, do things that were borderline criminal.

    This summer however, I have not stood for such nonsense. I was recently promoted, so the weekly stress of a demanding boss and lackadaisical employees has made me despise wasting time on the job and laziness especially. That tyrannical time management at work has extended into my personal life with very positive results I believe. Now, instead of constantly visiting friends and doing nothing, I get together with them usually on an individual basis instead and slightly less often. When this happens, we tend to actually do something either productive or at least active, and talk about things of more interest.

    I often make excuses to avoid large parties where I know that the activities will consist of sitting around for a few hours and doing nothing. I have dodged several massive graduation parties of people that I am only slightly acquainted with to avoid such an agonizing quagmire; a boring party with no escape. The thought of spending the good parts of my weekend sitting around is horrifying to me. I'm very restless and active, so I demand either physical activity or at the very least, mental activity in the form of reading. (I don't play video games unless I have a book nearby to read during load scenes)

    I find myself much happier this summer without constantly being with close friends or going to lots of parties. My weekends are much more enjoyable when instead of spending entire days with people, I spend maybe a few hours instead. By adding slightly more Me-Time to my weekends, I have been able to get a lot of reading done, and get a lot more exercise as well. And I think I am closer to my friends as a result of slightly more separation.

    So how do you all manage your time? Do you prefer to spend most of it with friends and family and less with yourself? Half and half maybe? Or a schedule in which individual time takes precedence over everything else?
    "If a monkey is hanging by his tail from a tree, it's easier to get him down by cutting his tail than kicking him in the face. We are kicking him in the face."

    -George Patton

  2. #2

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    I think a balance should be reached on this issue. I play piano and guitar. I mean really play it. If I do not practice with any of those two instruments at least 6 hours a day I feel quite disturbed. This discipline I have sure has its rewards. Since I do my musical ''chores'' everyday, I feel fulfilled and happy. But I realize that my social life has evaporated since I either practice or do work. All day every day. So it would really do me good to have a weekend or two where I do nothing. The point of life is to be happy as much as we can. Isn't it? You cant be happy doing stuff all day. Sometimes its good to just sit on your b*tt.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    Freud talked about this in his book Civilization and its Discontent. He said that how you manage your energy determents how unhappy you are (Freud refused to use the word happy since he says that we are never happy, we can just become less unhappy).

    How do I manage my time? Not well I guess. I spend most of the day (if not the whole day) in my house. I lost contact with my friends in high school and I don't have friends in my neighborhood (since it is not possible for me to have a conversation with them that is not about cars, women and sex, hip hop or gang issues).
    The only person I go out with is with my GF but she lives a while away so we can't see each other everyday.

    Am I happy? Well I think I am. I learn things from Ethos, I play video games (which is my favorite pass time) and I go out with my GF every now and then (yesterday we went to the Bronx Zoo with a couple of College friends. Today she went to the gay pride parade with them, but I need to take care of by brother).
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    Friends? Bah who needs them.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    Find friends that have goals, as you do.

    Towards the end of high school I had met several people who shared my interest in science and philosophy, and that led to meeting more mature and fun people to hang out with productively. "Social management" I would call it, rather then time.

  6. #6
    Daeger's Avatar Semisalis
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    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    I don't really see anything wrong in "wasting" time. Everything we do is pointless anyway. Not saying that we shouldn't do anything constructive. I just think you should spend your time the way you like and not think about how constructive it is.

    I usually just play games, surf the web, hang out with my friends. Hanging out with my friends consists mostly of sitting and talking, drinking, playing games and wasting time.


  7. #7

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    In High School it was like Friends, lots of friends! Drinking. and a bit of family. Played Guitar, Listened to Music and PC Games.

    Now that Im olders its Job, a Handful of Close Friends, Drinking, More Family, not so much guitar, music, pc Games.
    Oh and I forgot Girlfriend! That will take a fair chunk out of yer time!

    I don't think that having a good social life is a waste of time. Even if you're playing video games and drinking. However if you feel that it's a waste of time, it doesn't mean it is. It justs means that you would like to achieve more. Best thing to do is, write a couple of goals and do one step/thing at a time. For example, I wanted to learn more things, so I did a Short Audio Engineering Course, it was awesome!!!!.
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  8. #8

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    I spend virtually my entire day on the computer [forums, philosophy, religion, games, reading]. Bit of an addict. Of course I also hang out with friends- on comp or around the city or whatever. Honestly I've been much happier in life ever since I've abandoned societies normal definition of success and, well, whats important. It takes a lot of pressure off of yourself when get rid of all the soul crushing bull**** that is the endless quest for money, a good house, good clothes, and all those other trivialities. So I guess I spend my time trying to improve my soul. Not in the religious sense, just, understanding and improving who I am. I do that through reading philosophy and religion, increasing my understanding [sometimes decreaseing it] of reality. Reading stimulates my imagination. Games my compettition, forums allow me to vent. Friends of course, for everything else.

    Do it in your own way, but my advice to you is to abandon what society tells you what you want and how to act, and do so in accordance to what makes you understand yourself more. There is nothing worse than realizing your entire life has been a depressing nightmare.
    “All things have sprung from nothing and are borne forward to infinity. Who can follow out such an astonishing career? The Author of these wonders, and He alone, can comprehend them.” - Blaise Pascal
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  9. #9

    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    I've found that performing is the best way to spend my time, including the preparation. It's similar to an exam in the way that you have to work and improve to meet your target, and then it all finishes in a magnificently short space of time. Except with performing the actual performance is not a chore, and the satisfaction is immediate, the result obvious and the adrenalin levels far greater. The days I spend without any thing to work at are the most wasted. Those few minutes of performance in front of an audience are those I will remember.

    I think whatever your life, improving yourself rather than accumulating material items with diminishing worth is the best way to live.
    Last edited by Desperado †; July 05, 2009 at 07:55 AM.

  10. #10
    Bongfu's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Time Management Philosophy

    Lets see...

    I slept til noon today, after a long night of drinking. Got up, hopped in the shower. Got out and had some cereal and guinness. Rode my bike up to work to get my paycheck, then proceeded to bank to deposit said paycheck. Then came home to work on my ethics essay that is due tomorrow morning. Have finished half of the rough draft.

    Got tired of that so I am here trolling the TWC.

    A good happy time well spent, like most of my days.
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