5/1/18 Time is Money
I just finished my last Final of the Spring Semester, and I feel fantastic, I managed to get an A on my English Course and a B on my Math course while working 40-60 hours a week and keeping up with one or two extra-curricular activities. Now that this time is free, I have it to schedule or budget, and I've developed a new opinion on what I want to do with it and how. Managing limited resources is a complex problem that I've struggled a lot with as I've bloomed into adulthood.
So with Money, Dave Ramsey suggests using what's called a 0-based budget. Basically this means that when you write out your budget, you start it with the knowledge that by the end of the month, every dollar you've earned will equal every dollar you've spent. It all has a plan, even if that plan is to save the money away. This provides a lot of benefits, and I think is the only really responsible way to budget. Even if you don't budget it, all the money you make will be spent doing something, that's just a fact. Even if that something is nothing, and you decide to do nothing with it. With this in mind too, it's important to prioritize spending according to what is most important. According to Dave's plan it's 1.Giving(Spiritual) 2.Four Walls (Necessities) 3.Debts then Savings (In exclusion to the Emergency fund.) This all sounds sensible right? It makes sense, it's a simple and effective plan that's built on being responsible and building wealth/getting out of debt. Now let me tell you how I have seriously muffed this up in regards to a much more important finite resource, time.
For the past 9 months or so, I have been systematically destroying myself with work. I have not been giving myself enough time to sleep, take care of myself, and remain basically sane. I know the initial reaction to this statement is, "Everyone's busy, there's just not enough time in the day." And my retort to that is, of course there's enough time, just not enough time to do everything as soon as you want to. Just like how with money, there's always "enough" if you're careful to understand and control what "enough" means. Which is where a schedule comes into play. I routinely have worked 12-16 hours a day for 3-5 days in a row, every week on the week. And I've learned a lot, and I almost threw myself into the most profound-no exits depression I've ever experienced.
The thing with budgeting time or "scheduling" is that it's wise to budget in the same way, namely a 0-based budget. However time and money have one distinct difference. If you don't spend money, it doesn't just sit there, it's spent, automatically. That only happens with money if you spend money without a plan. Even if you have 5 hours of videogames on your schedule a day, at least it's scheduled, at least you know where your time is going, and when you want to make a new decision, sacrifice something in your life for something better, you know what can be cut out.
So the root of this depression? The root of me being so unhappy with all the time I've been using on work? I've been deeply focused on Money. Which ultimately, is just a necessity, it's just a step. And I need to be putting away time for my spiritual growth, my health, happiness, and finally DREAMS and goals. I'm not at peace because I'm not planning out my time in a way that gets me it.
Sometimes, I feel behind, and I mentioned this before. I feel like I'm behind my peers in schooling and accomplishment, and it bothers me. I want to begin being more daring with how I use my time, trying for more difficult things with less promise or return like businesses, contract work, etc. Usually my family and friends are nervous for me and tell that I shouldn't, that I should stay safe and defined. Do things that are easy and already quantified, but that's what all this work was. It was hard on me physically and was tiring, but emotionally, it was safe. It was the equivalency of hiding from my own desire to takes risks and chase down my dreams. So, I might be dropping a job soon. Going to make some more plans and use my time more wisely. One doesn't start a family legacy of excellence while personally being a failure.
So with Money, Dave Ramsey suggests using what's called a 0-based budget. Basically this means that when you write out your budget, you start it with the knowledge that by the end of the month, every dollar you've earned will equal every dollar you've spent. It all has a plan, even if that plan is to save the money away. This provides a lot of benefits, and I think is the only really responsible way to budget. Even if you don't budget it, all the money you make will be spent doing something, that's just a fact. Even if that something is nothing, and you decide to do nothing with it. With this in mind too, it's important to prioritize spending according to what is most important. According to Dave's plan it's 1.Giving(Spiritual) 2.Four Walls (Necessities) 3.Debts then Savings (In exclusion to the Emergency fund.) This all sounds sensible right? It makes sense, it's a simple and effective plan that's built on being responsible and building wealth/getting out of debt. Now let me tell you how I have seriously muffed this up in regards to a much more important finite resource, time.
For the past 9 months or so, I have been systematically destroying myself with work. I have not been giving myself enough time to sleep, take care of myself, and remain basically sane. I know the initial reaction to this statement is, "Everyone's busy, there's just not enough time in the day." And my retort to that is, of course there's enough time, just not enough time to do everything as soon as you want to. Just like how with money, there's always "enough" if you're careful to understand and control what "enough" means. Which is where a schedule comes into play. I routinely have worked 12-16 hours a day for 3-5 days in a row, every week on the week. And I've learned a lot, and I almost threw myself into the most profound-no exits depression I've ever experienced.
The thing with budgeting time or "scheduling" is that it's wise to budget in the same way, namely a 0-based budget. However time and money have one distinct difference. If you don't spend money, it doesn't just sit there, it's spent, automatically. That only happens with money if you spend money without a plan. Even if you have 5 hours of videogames on your schedule a day, at least it's scheduled, at least you know where your time is going, and when you want to make a new decision, sacrifice something in your life for something better, you know what can be cut out.
So the root of this depression? The root of me being so unhappy with all the time I've been using on work? I've been deeply focused on Money. Which ultimately, is just a necessity, it's just a step. And I need to be putting away time for my spiritual growth, my health, happiness, and finally DREAMS and goals. I'm not at peace because I'm not planning out my time in a way that gets me it.
Sometimes, I feel behind, and I mentioned this before. I feel like I'm behind my peers in schooling and accomplishment, and it bothers me. I want to begin being more daring with how I use my time, trying for more difficult things with less promise or return like businesses, contract work, etc. Usually my family and friends are nervous for me and tell that I shouldn't, that I should stay safe and defined. Do things that are easy and already quantified, but that's what all this work was. It was hard on me physically and was tiring, but emotionally, it was safe. It was the equivalency of hiding from my own desire to takes risks and chase down my dreams. So, I might be dropping a job soon. Going to make some more plans and use my time more wisely. One doesn't start a family legacy of excellence while personally being a failure.
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