balance

here's the problem. 

I refuse to give up any of my interests. And I'm not a dabbler. I prefer to pursue everything I like seriously. 

I am also a human with finite energy (and ADHD-PI). This make things very difficult. 

I'm working 9 AM - 6 PM every day. I also need to work on my M.S. thesis for at least an hour a day, but too much more than that and I will fizzle out. I also want to stay on top of my computer science and computer graphics fundamentals, and learn electrical engineering so I can have more leverage for doing theme park design -- which means I need to get good at math and physics too. Finally, I have my own ideas for apps and games that I want to implement. 

I'm also an aspiring artist and writer. I need at least an hour to work on art per day. I also need at least 30 minutes to work on writing per day. And I need to read, a lot, to get better at writing. 

And I love to play the clarinet and piano, but I haven't improved for years. You can fit in 5 minutes per day of almost anything. That's what I've been doing at clarinet...and I am terrible at it. All the 5 minutes does is ensure somewhat decent tone quality, sometimes. 

Oh, but I'm also really passionate about gaming (and the internet), which I've never had time for, due to only being allowed to play for 1-2 hours per week as a kid -- and not being able to balance it with honors/AP classes, music, sports, and writing. 

I am also really into running and lifting. I spend at least an hour every morning doing that. 

And finally, I like to watch animation -- I love cartoons and anime. For social purposes, it's good to keep up on stuff. It sucks because I've never finished ATLA but I liked it and just didn't have the time to stick with it -- so I have to pretend that I don't like it around fans, because I can't hold conversations on it. 

And of course, got to sleep enough and meditate every night, even for just 5-10 minutes. 

I often feel like I'm in a constant cycle of trying to optimize my schedule. I am bound and determined to actually get good at all of these things. But if I drop even one of these pursuits (already dropped Spanish), my motivation to do anything at all completely crashes. It's gone. I burn out. I don't want to do anything. 

Realistically, I need 6 free hours a day as follows: 

- 1.5 hours for my workout. 

- 1 hour for art (though I'd like more). 

- 1.5 hours for technical studies, including my thesis. 

- 0.5 hours for playing clarinet. 

- 0.5 hours for writing. 

- 1 hour to unwind (where I clean, do chores, eat, play video games, watch shows, read, prep gym bag, etc.) 

And I also need time to get ready for bed and meditate. 

The problem is that 9 hours are spent at work and 8 are spent asleep, so I only have 7 remaining. And I kinda need to use the bathroom, shower, etc. It takes time to get ready for the gym, for example. And for some reason, I have never been able to eat, shower, and get ready for the day in less than an hour. 

Add anything on top of that, like someone needing a ride, or my car breaking down, and everything falls apart. 

There simply isn't enough time for everything. I will have to find a way though, and share it with others. Right now, though, I just have no idea how. 

Here's a quick idea.

30 minutes while using the restroom, eating breakfast, and stretching -- technical studies. This one sucks the most. 

60 minutes sitting down and doing technical studies before work. 8 - 9 AM. 

20 minutes playing music at lunch. 11:50 - 12:10. 

10 minutes playing music during a break at work. 

60 minutes resting after work. 6 - 7 PM. 

75-80 minutes to work out in the morning, plus another 15 for commute and stuff. 5:30 - 7 AM. 

45 minutes for all my "unproductive" hobbies like gaming, plus chores like eating and cleaning. 6 - 6:45 PM. 

30 minutes for writing after dinner. 6:45 - 7:15 PM. 

60 minutes for art. 7:15 - 8:15 PM.

Now, 45 minutes should be enough time to get ready for bed. But, what about planning for the next day, logging my workout, and updating my dream journal? 

- Update dream journal during a work break. 

- Plan for the next day and log workout at the end of your shift -- shouldn't take long. 

OK, I think that should work. Let's find out. 

5 AM get up

5:30 AM work out 

6:50 AM head home

7 AM get ready for the day and do technical studies 

8 AM technical studies

9 AM work

Sometime in the morning dream journal 

12 PM lunch + music + walk

Sometime in the afternoon music

Before clocking out sort trello boards, determine tomorrow’s goals, and log workout – during documentation block

6 PM dinner + cleaning + gaming + tv + reading + prep gym bag

6:45 PM writing 

7:15 PM art 

8:15 PM get ready for bed

8:45 PM meditation 

And that's about all we can do. 

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