Are You OK? How Are You With This Life So Far? What Are You Doing to Keep Yourself Busy?

For a while now, I've found my purpose – my passion and reason to live. I no longer waste a single minute; instead, I'm constantly occupied with activities that keep me busy. Some of these include reading books, doing meditation, eating healthy food, answering questions, writing novels, painting, sketching, and designing. Additionally, I'm into photography and managing three YouTube channels, all while diving into motivational videos and reading novels.

Work or Leisure?

The question is how colleagues and friends perceive my busy life. When colleagues inquire, I usually answer with the tasks I do during work hours, like giving financial advice, creating financial plans, and speaking engagements. However, my answer changes when friends ask. With friends, I talk about personal projects, new skills I'm trying to learn, and books I'm currently reading.

I wasn't aware of this pattern until a friend pointed it out to me during a casual coffee chat. Friends often ask about my free time activities, whereas colleagues inquire about work tasks.

The Ripple Effect of Free Time on Future Work

What I do during my free time does not just make me happy in the present; it shapes what I'll be busy with in the future. This can be illustrated by the changes in my life over the years:

2003

To a colleague: “I’m busy with my freelancing work. I’m doing a software development project for this school.” To a friend: “I’m studying how a computer shop works. I’m thinking it might be a good business to put up. I need to have a more regular source of income than freelancing.”

2008

To a colleague: “I’m busy with managing my computer shop. There’s a lot of competition these days.” To a friend: “I don’t go out much because I’m always at the computer shop. But I recently started a personal finance business and investments blog. That’s been keeping me really busy. And I’m learning all this Web 2.0 social media and SEO stuff online.”

2013

To a colleague: “Aside from managing my businesses and working as a Registered Financial Planner, I’ve also been doing speaking engagements. Mostly about financial literacy blogging and digital marketing.” To a friend: “I’ve recently been introduced to the local tech startup community and have been attending a lot of their meetups. Honestly, it’s refreshing to talk to and learn from new people. First time to hear about this Bitcoin thing, and Blockchain Technology is interesting!”

2018

To a colleague: “Just the usual stuff. What’s probably new is I’ve been trying to grow a couple of tech startups that I co-founded. We’re actually looking into having an ICO to raise funds.”

I’m not a superhuman who never watches movies or takes vacations. Sometimes, I sleep all day during weekends. However, I cannot spend my free time doing 'nothing' constantly. I have developed a taste for exploring new stuff, meeting new people, and learning new things. This has contributed positively to my life.

Wise Use of Free Time

My main point is that you should be wise about how you spend your free time. Engaging in productive activities can significantly influence your future career. If you occasionally do nothing productive, years may pass by, and you may realize that life hasn’t changed much. It’s a cycle of work and play without personal growth.

Conclusion

So, today, ask yourself what you are busy with during your free time. This can help you shape your future and ensure you grow both personally and professionally.