“But you do have choices about how you spend your time. Balancing what you need to do with what you want to do can lead to happiness and success.”
Stephen Hall
As I see it, life is fantastic. With infinite ways to spend your time, dividing up your days for everything you value is not something that can be done naturally. There comes a point where you realize that there is so much to see and do, and with so little time. I came to this realization a while ago, but I thought it would be a good thing to reflect on as this past week reminded me of it once again.
I value my family and other relationships above all else, they are at the center of my happiness. Following this is my free time, I love video games, TV, and movies, these of course consume a decent portion of my time. Adding a full courseload to this just sounds overwhelming, but alas I did it anyway. Fortunately for me, I decided not to work during this process but I imagine if that were in the mix I would short-circuit. Now, doing all this while also getting a good night’s sleep has proven to be somewhat of a pipedream. In the end, you have to make sacrifices.
There is always a trade-off when there is a limited number of possibilities, I can only do one thing at the expense of the other. To balance my time amongst everything I have to do and everything I enjoy, I have to manage my time as best I can. As it pertains to school, I paid all this money to get a good education and I will not let that go to waste. I’ve said this before, but this term is likely to be the most challenging from a time perspective. Three classes on top of my capstone is no easy feat. This last quarter requires nearly all my time and this means I must take away from the other areas. I can see the degree’s finish line and I am more than happy to lose my free time or spend less time with my family if it means accomplishing this goal I set for myself.
On one hand, it is very unfortunate to lose time with things you enjoy doing, but on the other hand, it really makes you put life into perspective. In order to strike a perfect balance, you must actively decide on what requires your time more than others. As my time at Oregon State comes to a close, it is all gas, no brakes, and the balance scales are tilted heavily toward the school. These sacrifices are worth it when the output is greater than the input. With this degree, I hope to open myself and my family up to a new world with even more possibilities. Having that goal in mind, I’m more than happy to rebalance my priorities as I work towards a brighter future.
