Work Versus Everything Else

Lately, I have found myself consumed by work, errands, and all the obligations of being an adult in this day and age. Work and sleep take up roughly 60% of my week while other necessities like paying bills, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, and many other items take around 20% of my time leaving me with 20% of the week to myself.

Because of this ratio, I have felt like there is no time for myself and for doing activities I personally enjoy. So, I made priorities to change this by finding fun events to incorporate into my life. One of the first major tasks I accomplished was joining a book club using www.bookclubs.com. Each month we are tasked with reading a book of the members choosing. Although this can be time consuming, there are audio books widely available, so I have the option to listen in the car or while cooking. Personally, I prefer to read a physical copy because I find myself less distracted and retain the information better. This method forces me to slow down and get lost in the story opposed to being distracted by the things around me.

There are several different clubs based on certain genres or interests (sci-fi, romance, thriller, etc.). At the end of each month, we all gather and talk about the book from the plot to the characters. I loved the idea of joining a book club because I knew I would always have talking points. Having a common interest made meeting new people less daunting for me.

Activities will vary with interest, but here are a few to check out in your city!

·      Group fitness classes

·      Run clubs

·      Indoor rock climbing

·      Sports league

·      Volunteering

·      Bingo at local restaurants

·      Pop-ups (food, drink, clothes, makeup)

Working out is another great way to meet people and to build a community. There are a lot of fitness studios with memberships and locals creating clubs for workouts and social time.

Focusing too much on one aspect of life can cause burnout leaving you depleted and unfulfilled. There are so many options, the hardest part might be showing up, but I have found it is important to have a balanced routine to give yourself a fresh perspective and reenergize certain aspects of your life.