Sometimes It's Just Impossible To Keep Up With it All!
The clock ticks, and stuff passes by.
Red barn near California Hot Springs
This morning, I once again started my day at around 7:00 am, trying to get in as much work as possible before leaving for work at our gallery at 10:30 am.
That's my typical morning-- I have two web businesses--and now Steemit-- to manage, outside my daily "outside work," and the fact that I also fancy myself an artist, of sorts.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Denmarkguy had been struggling with dental pain all week, so we headed off to the dentist at 9:30, instead. Fortunately, nothing too serious.
However, the morning still left me with a very long list of "not yet done" stuff that I was not be able to get to till I got home around 7:00 this evening.
Now it's past 11:00 pm.
When the Daily To-do List Gets LONGER not Shorter
For some time now, it has felt like my daily to-do list never gets any shorter.
Geranium in the late afternoon sun
I start the day with 20 things I have to do by the end of the day, get 13 of them taken care of by midnight... but in the meantime have had 12-14 new things added to the list in the course of the day.
Which,as you can probably see, would result in a perpetual backlog.
Unfortunately, most of these things are related to "Making a Living," so the idea of simplifying our lives further isn't really much of an option... unless we become willing to live without-- say-- electricity, or Internet or some other basic service.
Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful that we both get to be self-employed.
On Having Enough... and What That Means in the Greater World
A short while ago, I was reading an interesting post by @aggroed entitled "There Are Only 2 Ways to Have Enough," and it made me think about the whole "enough" concept...
Damselfly on stone, Sedona, AZ
Whereas I always felt I have been pretty modest in what I decide to be "enough" I have gradually discovered that the world-- society, producers, governments, families-- really do not want anyone to be happy with "enough."
The entire economic system is set up around the "fear of scarcity," which makes people more inclined to hoard everything from wealth, to resources, to assets, to products, to influence and more. And if we lack the ambition to pursue the "scarcity paradigm," we tend to get left behind. Or at least made to feel like we're not holding up our end of the deal.
When I look at my very busy and long workdays-- in spite of being self-employed-- I realize that the "system" reaches out and tries to touch all of us... even when we try our best to be independent. True independence is often portrayed as "lacking" in order to scare people into conformity.
And with that, I have had about enough work, for today!
How about YOU? Do you find it difficult to keep up with the many aspects of modern life? Do you feel like you have "enough" in life? Does it seem like the current economic and social system does not really support a pradigm of simply having "enough?" Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Posted at 20170221 23:28 PDT
I really do find it difficult to keep up. Since I have always had my office in the home it has been convenient but it makes it difficult to separate work for personal life. I am starting to move my office down to where my warehouse is and separate the two. Let's see how it goes!
@kus-knee, that's one of those "separations" I'm starting to work on, as well. When @cosmictriage and I got our little art gallery about a year ago, part of the intent was to move one of our home offices out of the house-- since we're both self-employed-- and it has definitely helped some.
Good luck with yours-- I hope it works out well for you!
I have a two year plan to move "off grid". Don't know how or where yet, but that's the plan. Somewhere cold after 20 years in the desert. Grass is always greener on the other side, right? Unless...you live in the...desert! 😂
Yeah, not much grass in the desert (spent a lot of time around Joshua Tree, CA) so sometimes the grass really IS greener. Wishing you the best with your plans coming to pass as you want them to!
I will bring Steemit along on the adventure. Please keep an eye out for an upcoming series. Chasing the Dream, powered by Steem!
Great topic. I personally LOVE the modern world. I have just found my own "twist" on it. I'm not participating in the consumption part of it. Sure, I own an expensive macbook, cellphone and even a nice modern safe car. But they are all nescessities in todays world. I feel almost like a modern monk. My PC, my Phone, Car, and clothes. That's really about it. Everything else goes into investing and evolving.
Yes, our socialist mindless society is constantly trying to push us back. Come with us, be like us, don't be such a drag. Don't take responsibility. Don't try to overcome. Why do you want to be a better version of yourself. Don't be such a strive.
At the same time I see a trend towards entrepreneurship and alternative living. More people are doing it. More people like the idea of running their own day, doing the trade off of more time, less money and more responsibility, therefore more freedom.
I am definitely very grateful to be self-employed... and have been full-time since 1999. The thing I try to come to grips with is the way the long fingers of the "mainstream" tries to reach out and grab me from "over there" with an assortment of things I supposedly "must" partake in... if I don't want to be perceived as a complete pariah by the remainder of the world.
OK, so the independent life means "long hours" just like the life I had before... but at least I can look at it and feel like it is somewhat "my own."
Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Yes..that's the hard thing about being an anarchist. All these ridicilous things that you don't any longer see the point of. Most of them are easy to avoid. With kids it's harder, and you have to play along to a certain degree. But you can work around it for the most parts. Can you name any examples of the mainstream trying to grab you? Is it something you have to pay any attention to?
Sure! You probably do a lot more work for a lot less pay. :) But like you say..its on your own terms. And you are fulfilling your human potential. You have peace with your morality and values. Nothing is more important. You are living for you only.
As we age, it's mostly the reality of needing medical and dental services that "reach out;" with all the attendant "unless you have THIS, you don't qualify for THAT" reasoning... or you can get whatever you want, if you happen to have tens of thousands of dollars lying around. One of the general downsides to living in the US.
Your ideas here remind me of one of the Seneca letters, where he talks about the rich man being the one who is content with what he has, regardless of how meager that may be.
I'm in the same boat as you right now... feels like all the required activities take up most of my waking hours just to keep business going. Not sure what the answer to that is!
Much conventional wisdom would suggest that if we are struggling so much, then we must be in the "wrong" field. I reject that idea... I am more interested in understanding why certain (especially creative) fields are highly appreciated and even admired yet don't afford their practitioners a basic living. Education and change... people's priorities are... a little twisted, sometimes.
Do you really think creative artists are not rewarded? Is there any chance that there might just be too high a supply of people who want to "live the dream" basically?
Matt, as much as anything I think it's about how people prioritize things. My wife and I have a small independent art gallery (for example) and we have people who come in and "ruminate" on whether they can justify buying a $100 piece of art... and then they might say "we're going to go have dinner and discuss" after which they leave for the swank bistro across the street where dinner with wine and tip will set them back $100. These same people might happily catch a gig at a venue if there's "no cover" but would NEVER pay $50 a ticket to see the same act in concert at a major venue.
I can totally relate to that feeling of being overloaded. Especially lately. I suppose it just means it is time to reevaluate things and perhaps make some changes.
True enough @jaynie. It's usually an indication that it's time to restate our assumptions and perhaps change direction.
I have never seen a social media platform like this one. It's so fascinating and you can't stop talking about it once you get into it @denmarkguy
Welcome to Steemit @tuehanh! Yes, this is a very unique community... and there is more of a sense of true connection here than any other place I have seen, Hope you enjoy your time here!
Moving away from the United States and living as an expat certainly removed a lot of the pressures of constant consumption.
That certainly can make a big difference. My parents were actually "tax refugees" before it was even much of a "thing" (1970s, 1980s) but they had the benefit of quite a lot of money which makes that sort of thing a lot easier to manage.
At some point when the list grows longer each day, you destroy the list. I appreciate the need to carry on, but question the strategy. Stop. Breathe. And find a solution.
Good points, @doctorjohn. And sometimes the list has to be tossed, and we resume from scratch... mostly, the "brutal bottom line" is that either life has to cost 20% less than it does; or we have to get paid 20% more for the same work we're doing now... or some combination of the above.
Ahhhh you're caught between a rock and a hard place... That is tough. I obviously don't have all the facts. So I can't offer advice. Others have been in similar situations. Most of them survived. You might want to give God a try... on occasion He performs miracles.
Thanks @doctorjohn... you inadvertently reminded me of a meme I came across a while back: "I know God doesn't send us any challenges we can't overcome... I just wish He didn't have so much confidence in me!"
Seriously, though... "this too, shall pass."
Yeaa... hoarding (anything and everything) is a terrible addiction. You start to have more and you want even more! And your neighbour got something better... and you family wants you to do better... and so on...
What if 'good' is enough?
On the whole, I am perfectly content with "good" and "enough." And we're increasingly working towards a point where that is a functional situation within the greater context of life.
i like your post, rather have to much to do than nothing, it will be living not a life.
Well, we all have our priorities and different personalities. I guess I am more of a "laid back" type who enjoys sitting still... right now, however, my last actual "day off" was April 26th!