Make it Count
By: Ryan Hansen
We’re a culture defined by our work. “What do you do?” is the third question I ask when out on dates. In today’s hustle obsessed culture, we
easily lose sight of what it actually means when we work; what we have to give up.
Everything has a price. Writing this blog right now, on a beautiful Friday afternoon, prevents me from going on a hike. When you’re
working, you’re usually not doing any physical activity to make yourself stronger or healthier. You’re sitting still, typing, usually for hours
and hours. Even a plush office with a fantastic view can’t take away from the fact that you’re not actually outside in the sun. Instead,
you’re sitting, weakening your body, probably under fluorescent lights. If you do X, you give up Y.
When I’m working, I’m in the gym, not out exploring a new city. Training clients prevents me from traveling and seeing other places besides the
four walls of PRYMAL. Work is all consuming, as it should be, or nothing would get done. But there’s a steep opportunity cost to the grind.
And so, when you do work, make it count. If you’re slacking, getting distracted, trolling Instagram, and doing busy mindless work like answering
emails, you’re cheating yourself. Not only are you drifting further away from success, you’re actually losing out on a whole lot more. You’re
trading alllll the other stuff you could be doing (like time with friends, fitness, or food) for not much at all. You’re trading your precious finite time
here on this planet for some mediocre crap.
On the flip side, I do believe good, creative fulfilling work is the ultimate feeling. And recreation can be overrated, and an escapism, for those who
don’t feel fulfilled in what they do. Being engaged in a project is like a mental massage. It just feels so goooood and studies show that t
hose who spend most of their lives actively engaged in their work are the happiest.
Working and producing something of value for the world is a great achievement. If you feel compelled to produce and create, do it, but do not
just sit there and twiddle your thumbs. What a waste. "The next time you sit down to work, think about the things you’re not doing and decide
whether you’re going to make it count or not."