h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...what is it? Where has it gone? I seem to have manahed to fill my hours up to overflowing point.

There's work, which is the biggest slice of my time.

Then there's sleeping. And eating.

Rehearsals (Friday evenings, and possibly Tuesdays as well).

Church (Sunday, with Wednesday evening thrown in).

Studying (Thursday evenings, currently Tuesday evenings, and much of Saturday).

Admin for the operatic society (as and when).

Learning music (when I can).

But there's also Monday evenings and Sunday afternoons. They're good. I've kept them free for the time being. Should I find something to fill them? Or should I just watch rubbish TV and read unimproving books?

Rubbish TV and unimproving books, unless something more interesting comes along. We all need to make space for those in our lives!

You can have too much of a good thing..

It sounds like you need some down time, so I also vote for the TV and books. Even young healthy folks schedule too much and burn out.

What they said. Call it essential sanity maintenance.

Sanity? What's that?

Last night, I discovered that my role introducing the children's Christmas show thing for church has been greatly expanded without my knowledge. I'm now singing a song (which I've never heard before) as well as doing the linking bits of narration etc. One more piece of music to add to the pile of things to learn. Sigh...

The key question is: Do you feel good that you have so much to do? Other questions are: Are you appreciated by those making demands?
Can you satisfy all the demands made on you?

If the answers are all 'yes' If any are 'no' I suggest an assertive reassessment of what you are (and are not) going to do

"Happy is the person with free time to spend enjoying a hobby" (though if you are spending the free time on a hobby you don't actually have free time )


Have a nice Don't plan anything for 'free evenings' - you'll find existing activities will easily expand to fill them

Don't overdo it. Eventually people rely on you doing stuff whenever they ask. It gets harder to say no if you always say yes.

That's one of the reasons I haven't taken up driving... I know I'd turn into a taxi service!

That is such a good idea. I know a few people who deliberately never learned to drive.

I'm generally called upon to be the taxi driver at home. Most of the time I don't mind but people don't seem to notice if I'm engrossed in a film or other enjoyable activity. Those that do notice and won't ask are the one's I would prefer to give the lift to.

Though,if you have a reputation for unfailing courtesy, the pleasure cannot be overstated at seeing people's reactions when you tell first someone else who is making an unreasonable request to unreservedly off. It is all the more effective for its unexpectedness.

That's true.

Not driving isn't a viable option where I live.