✏️ Striking a Balance
One of the things I struggle with most in the planning and execution of my day-to-day life is balance.
Over time, but particularly in the last year or so, I have become more aware of the routines and conditions that promote effectiveness and growth in my life. However, these routines and conditions often come at a cost, whether that be turning down an opportunity to spend a night out with friends or not taking enough rest days from working out. If left unaddressed, I tend to notice feelings of burnout and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) creep in. I have come to the conclusion that whilst rigid routine and unerring consistency may be the most effective way to reach a goal, good habits/systems are those that can persist over long periods of time and it is not only necessary, but perhaps mandatory, to take one step back to take 2 steps forward.
In essence, what I need more than anything is balance — balance in my schedule, my social life, and my financial life. A certain amount of flexibility is required to enjoy life whilst still striving to reach major goals and uphold important values. Without balance, the consistency required to keep the ship steady over the long haul becomes untenable.
So I’ve started to prioritize balance a bit more in my life. It’s uncomfortable to take a weekend off, but I am hoping that the downtime will provide the fuel for greater productivity and consistency down the line.
📸 Photo of the Week
Had a great time visiting my friend in Toronto this weekend. Good live jazz in the evening + bagels and bottomless coffee in the morning — doesn’t get much much better than that.
📖 Book of the Week — Animal Farm by George Orwell
Published just after the 2nd World War, this novel by George Orwell tells the story of a group of farm animals that rebel against their human owners in an attempt to create a society where they are free and equal. However, their utopian desires were never realized and the subsequent dictatorship that arises becomes just as bad, if not worse, than the human-run society. Released at a time when fears of Stalin and his growing influence in Europe were mounting, it’s a satirical depiction of the very real possibilities in our modern world. Freedom and liberty are never to be taken for granted.
💭 Quote of the Week
It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
🔭 Sunday Best
The Highest Forms of Wealth — by Morgan Housel
Robert Greene on Understanding Your Own Character — “You can't really change your character; you are not going to become somebody you are not; get over that self-help illusion. You are imprisoned in this character; it is better to understand it to be realistic. Play at the margins, and transform what you can transform.”
Living a Productive Life, Good Design, and the Importance of Periodically Evaluating your Habits, Routines and Ideals — a newsletter by Meaghan Counihan
💡 Food for Thought
Most problems are 6-12 months away from being solved.
Cheers,
AT