Question: How do we Spend our Time?

Time is an odd thing. As humans, each of us has time each day to do various tasks. We wake up, prepare for the day and zip into the remainder of the time the day holds.

So, I want to ask you this. How do we spend our time? I won’t attempt to tell you how to use one of your most valuable possessions, but I hope to encourage everyone to consider how all of us spend our time.

Of course, we all spend it in different ways. Furthermore, we spend it in different ways at different times.

For example, a person may spend more time studying while in school than they do after they have completed school. Some students proceed in their education and seem to study all the time; as a graduate student, even more of my time is occupied studying than when I was an undergraduate student.

Not too long ago, someone asked if I play video games. While video games took up some of my time many years ago, what I allow to consume my time now looks far different than when I was a kid.

I haven’t played a video game in years. Perhaps it’s even more strange to some that the times I’ve attempted to play video games in more recent years, I simply don’t enjoy it.

The consoles and controllers are lackluster to me. I’m no longer pulled to play even what were once some of my favorite video games.

Recently, I passed by video games while I was at a store. I thought to myself that it would be neat to enjoy a game again, but I know if I bought one, I’m likely to play it for 20 minutes or less.

It’s because I don’t enjoy them anymore. There are a few times when I wish that wasn’t the case. However, there’s a feeling I can’t escape.

If I pick up the controller to a video game console and start playing, I’m not truly doing anything. One might reply by telling me that doing nothing is the point, and that video games are for entertainment and enjoyment.

That is true, and I will add that many video games have good storytelling. With that said, the entertaining storytelling is also not enough for me to justify playing.

None of the above is to state that video games are bad or advocate that nobody should play them. I’m only saying that they aren’t something I care for.

The shift from interest to zero interest is strange. The idea of spending an hour or more on a video game seems so distant to me now.

I’m aware that there are hobbies and subjects that grab my attention that other people don’t have an interest in as well. For instance, I love studying and researching.

I enjoy learning about government, politics, philosophy, art, astronomy, storytelling and more. I understand many people don’t enjoy researching.

Some people wave goodbye to studying and research after school because they view the action as impractical or simply find no joy in the work. However, I find the work it takes to learn highly practical and enjoyable.

At the same time, I readily admit that there are people who find deep studying to be just as much a bore as I do video games. In addition, I admit that the possibility of studying and researching too much exists as much as putting far too much time into video games.

Growth through education is excellent but not at the expense of relationships with people. Entertainment through video games provides fun, but spending an inordinate amount of time playing them results in missing out on other experiences and joys.

If we don’t spend time outside of our interests, we miss out on growing in other ways. If I have my focus locked on studying all of the time, I miss out on connecting with other people.

Films capture my interest in a way that electronic games fail to hold my attention. Fellow film and TV show lovers alike know that it’s possible to get sucked into spending too much time watching flicks and shows.

Don’t let me discourage you from enjoying your hobbies and interests, but all of us ought to consider how we utilize our time and our motivations for doing so in the ways we do.

How do you spend your time, and have you thought about making changes? Please share in the comments.