Just An Observation

I don't understand how people can just "do nothing."

(To explain my current thought process here's a quick little anecdote: Today I went over to an upperclassman's apartment to make dinner with. Since we were making pulled pork, we had to wait 4 hours for it to cook. In the period of time the two friends I have that live there played a computer game, and watched a hockey game, respectively. I consider video games to be one of the most pointless things that somebody can do, and yes at times sports can be entertaining, but for 4 hours?)

I need to be doing something, at almost any given time. I have this innate tendency to keep myself busy, and I wouldn't like it any other way. If I'm not running around like a madman trying to fit everything in, I'm not being me. So when people "get bored" or have "nothing to do" I just quite nearly implode.

So I consider this quote.

"Time you enjoyed wasting, was not wasted time."
Of course there are times where I just sit and talk with friends, or something along those lines. I'm not technically doing anything. And here is where my sociology class kicks in; although I don't enjoy spending countless hours playing a video game or watching a sports team play, other people do. Does this mean that it is not wasted time? I have some trouble completely believing in this quote for this reason; just because you enjoy playing video games, can you play for 48 hours straight while you neglected other tasks (because lets be honest over the course of 48 hours you really should have something else you should be doing) and still consider that time not wasted?

I suppose that I was raised under the precedent that there is always something to be done, somewhere, for something. My mom told me that "only boring people get bored." Of course I didn't want to be boring, because who likes boring people?

I find things to. Productive things. I see no productivity in certain activities. I suppose my perspective on productivity follows an economic model, which in a broad sense has regards "of or involved in the creation of goods and services to produce wealth or value." The best example I can think of is when I'm picking weeds, I like to see that I have, in fact, made a difference in the landscape. Does that make sense? It's the fact that something of value has occurred, positively affecting my or somebody else's life.

 This has largely been a random, ranting post in which I try and understand social things.
Bookish.Spazz said...

I understand where you're coming from.

I'm the same way. I hate not having anything to do. I'm always keeping myself busy, and I never truly have free time, just moments where I'm doing things without deadlines. Like knitting, or painting, etc.

If I don't keep myself busy I would go crazy.

Also, I still feel like playing video games is a waste of time, but that's just me. I'd much rather spend my time creating something tangible.

Natalie said...

I don't know, I feel like I agree with the whole time spent doing something you enjoy isn't technically wasted idea. I mean, does watching an entire season of How I Met Your Mother count as time wasted? Well... yes and no. I could have been reading my biology textbook or something instead, so I guess it was pretty unproductive, but I wouldn't really call it wasted either. Defining what constitutes time being wasted or not is tricky, and I think it differs for everyone.

Personally, I figure if I'm doing enough productive things the rest of the time to balance it out then it's okay. Example: writing an 18 page research paper yesterday allows me to be a lazy bum today. Actually, I do this a lot. Opposite procrastination. I get everything out of the way first so I can relax and be worry free the rest of the time, thus not feel like I should be doing something else. Solution!

That being said, I notice that when things are on a tight schedule all crammed together, that's when I really make the best use of my time. I do like being busy, but free time is grand as well. Just not too much of it. Also I agree about hating when people complain about being bored. Like, really? You really can't find ANYTHING AT ALL to do with your life right now except for whining about not having anything to do? REALLY? Sigh. People.

Stacey said...

Hahaha I definitely definitely understand what you are saying here! I, like you, feel like I always need to be doing something... and if I'm not running from place to place trying to get things done, then I'm not really being me! I always try to look for more things to do. I find it really weird when people talk about how they played games for hours or just did nothing... because they barely had any homework. When I don't have homework I always have my part-time job or just extra projects that I'm working on.

One of the things that bothers me the most is how my roommate will sleep at the same time as me every night but wake up two or three hours after me! It just doesn't make sense how she can get so much work done while I'm working until the day is over. Some people just work differently I guess? Or perhaps, my roommate does not have as many things to do as me.

Although from time to time, it does feel good to simply "waste time" by talking with friends or just playing some mindless game. It's a good time to relax :)

Natalie said...

Ha, yeah. The whole "it will be all my fault if I don't like her" part is another concern of mine, too. Then I won't even be able to complain about having a bad roommate to anyone without being hypocritical. Ugh. SO MUCH INDECISION.

shelbyisms said...

it's because we are over achievers, dillon.

Nicole Linette said...

Guilty of that, for sure. I'm an absolutely busy body at school, though coming home now I've just entirely decompressed when I'm not at my job.. I would say browsing the internet for more than 45 minutes qualifies as "nothing", it's like sucking your mind into digital codes or something. That's why I've been trying to extend my creative bounds! So cheers to embracing ceaseless moments of doing.

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