Before beginning my tirade, a few disclaimers: I do not support sloth. I do not agree with not performing one's paid duties correctly. You shouldn't consume junk food at every meal, but it's acceptable to do so occasionally. It is acceptable to spend time on your couch doing nothing as long as you also engage in regular physical activity.

One word encapsulates my entire point: MODERATION. All aspects of life should be modest. You enjoy your job and hamburgers, but too much of either will eventually make you sick.

Also, let's be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that we cannot always provide our very best.

Part 1: Some Popular Mindsets

Everything must be highly optimised today, and each individual must be as productive as possible. Every activity we take must have a positive effect on ourselves. We must constantly study and avoid activities that do not promote our development. Video games? NETFLIX? Dude, are you insane?

You should spend all of your free time as a software developer reading technical publications and researching the newest tools and technologies. When not doing that, you should exercise. Sleep is overrated, but if you must sleep, listen to a podcast to avoid wasting time.

You are a front-end developer, correct? Oh yeah, then you should immediately begin utilising that trendy new backend tool. Look at machine learning! Even if you have no intention of engaging in blockchain-related activity, you should not neglect your daily reading in this field. You will not utilise any of it? BUT YOU MUST LEARN EVERYTHING. You are an eternal pupil. You must evolve at all times, you must continue your drive for growth, you must resist lethargy at all costs!

...and other beliefs that make individuals feel inferior.

Part 2: It’s OK To Be Sad and Lazy

I'm so sick of the world's current obsession with productivity. Why shouldn't there be any sloth or sadness in our lives?

We must take a break! We must listen to ourselves and process our feelings. Eat a bucket of ice cream, sob, and shout. You can't live a life of perpetual happiness. It would be terrible.

We'll work incredibly hard on some days because we'll feel like it, but other days will be slower. It's okay that you didn't get much sleep the night before. Monday will see you working less efficiently, but Wednesday will make up for it. You're alright as long as you're truthful with yourself, others around you, and make sure your responsibility is completed.

Our lives shouldn't be controlled by our jobs, but if that works for you, go for it! It just doesn't work for me. I don't think of myself as being a workaholic. I take pleasure in performing a good job at my job. Although I have aspirations for the future of my profession, I don't believe that they are important enough to cause me worry and burnout.

Part 3: Work-Life Balance

Simply put, your company expects you to work that eight hours a day. You should work throughout those eight hours rather than watching Netflix or playing video games.

Enjoy your life after those eight hours, though. because we live to work and not the other way around. I never aspired to be a hard-core programmer, and I don't consider myself to be one. I have the utmost regard for folks who can work more than eight hours a day, but I'm not wired that way, and there's a chance that you, the reader, aren't either.

Why would you develop so much if you were never going to get to reap its benefits?

Part 4: Why Do We Call It “Work-Life Balance”?

The phrase "work-life balance" implies that our jobs are wholly unrelated to our personal lives, yet that is untrue. We require shelter, food, entertainment, and many other things to remain alive since we are living things. We require money to purchase food, pay rent or a mortgage, and other necessities. How do we obtain funds? We are employed.

It's acceptable to see work as an essential aspect of life. You work when you work. Saying that we get paid for our labour or that money is the reason we work is not considered improper (or hopefully one of the reasons).

Although I am aware that not everyone enjoys their job totally, I believe that nobody does. Although some jobs are friendlier than others, no job is perfect.

Because, let's face it, you need a job in order to make money. This is how things are in the world. Of course, it's a huge plus if you enjoy your job. If you want to, you can read tech publications in your free time, but your job should not be your entire life. To show your employer that you care, you shouldn't put in excessive hours. Run away if you have to put in extra time to prove your worth.

Part 5: Again, Moderation

We must develop moderation. We are free to do whatever we want, including consume alcohol, eat junk food, and be lazy. But these can't be our primary jobs. We must also undertake challenging, gratifying, and uncomfortable tasks that push us beyond of our comfort zones. But we shouldn't limit our attention to such things!

All I'm suggesting is that each individual should act in accordance with their gut instincts.

Avoid spending all of your free time working just to be productive. It's acceptable to relax on the couch, watch TV, play video games, and socialise without pursuing any form of personal development. Our lives must include growth, but not life itself.

It doesn't necessarily imply you're being productive to keep yourself occupied all the time. You're only wearing yourself out for nothing.

Part 6: Conclusion

Be yourself and pay attention to your desires. Work hard, but not excessively so. Discover your personal boundaries; if you're constantly exhausted, slow down. Take pauses. As long as your acts do not cause harm to those around you, you will be OK. Honesty with oneself and those around you is important.

You are happy with your employment as it is and have no intention of changing it. Do what you want, cool! Nobody else should tell you that what you want to do is wrong (again, as long as you're not doing something that will harm you or others) or that you shouldn't do it.

Everything in life, whether it's good or bad, changes through time. Therefore, we must avoid living in a way that makes us unhappy. While growth is necessary, it shouldn't be constant. It's okay if you occasionally just want to relax and take in your surroundings.

We never know how long we'll remain in our current circumstances or frame of mind. That's wonderful if you're a workaholic! If not, that's also fantastic! You barely complete your work inside the allotted time this month, but perhaps next month you'll be an unstoppable force.