the speed of time

When I was a student, school work dictated what I did with my time and everything other than school work and taking care of my basic needs fell into the category of procrastination. Thus my time was poorly managed with my priorities being sleep, running, and school work (usually in that order) and my tendency towards excessive procrastination which meant that I never really had much time for much else (or at least I never really got to fully enjoy much else since I often only managed to squeeze other things in as procrastination tools). However, now that I've joined the working world, once I leave the office, the very limited time I have left, is mine to do with as I wish. But determining how to best use of this time is turning out to be far trickier than I expected. Should I be caving into BPS's pressure and writing blog posts (JK, I want to write because I enjoy it, not because BPS or anyone is pressuring me to do so)? Learning something (Latin, discrete math, psychology…)? Spending more time in the gym in attempt to transform my whole body into one which resembles the muscular mass that makes up my calves? Dating random guys my family and friends manage to find and offer my number to? Getting out and taking advantage of some of what NYC has to offer? Hanging out with friends? Reviewing material from my college days that I am rapidly forgetting? Taking my work home with me in attempt to move up quickly (as if..)? Tutoring math? Taking on this business offer? Working towards becoming less self-absorbed (I start training for my volunteer position* on September 20th, but perhaps I should be doing something else in the meanwhile…)? Reflecting on how I should be spending my time?

Even when it comes to multi-tasking I face difficult decisions: for instance, I wonder if I am wasting my commute time reading mostly biographical/anecdotal non-fiction (perhaps I should be reading Wheelock's Latin in place of the 600-page heavyweight on Oppenheimer I've been lugging on the subway)? And during my lunch break: should I be shopping to enhance my pitiful student's wardrobe? Meeting friends? Utilizing the high speed internet connection to look up some essentials and compose long overdue emails and blog posts? Relaxing so that I can work more efficiently? Working through lunch to make up for all the slack I’ve been cutting myself at work lately?

It basically comes down to what should I be doing with my time? Is it more important that I enjoy my time, or that I do something constructive? And what counts as being constructive? Is working towards self-growth and education useful, or is that moslty self-serving? Is there much I can do that would be of any value to society or to others (suggestions…)?

*Another interview that went well: got an invitation to join the group on the spot. Though I'm still amazed that I need to go through a formal application process and interview for offering my time and energy at no charge, but at least they didn’t drill my references like they did the last time around.