F*ck your Why
I find it crazy how everything we do nowadays has to have an ulterior motive. Even your hobby projects are supposed to be a form of advertisement for yourself, your reputation, and your career.
It always has to be something you can write on your CV afterward. Did you struggle, did you hate every second of it? Well, it does not matter, it is an investment in yourself, right? In fact, "the hustle is what makes you stronger, bro"!
You struggle through it and then you reap the delayed gratification later in the form of respect, money, and admiration as Elon Musk's hardest-working employee. Obviously, like any self-respecting grown-up you do everything for a reason. You have a purpose, a why.
In a work context starting with your why might make sense. Your employer wants to know why he is paying you. After work, this is the single most destructive thought you can have.
Imagine you really feel like spending some time planting some herbs on your balcony. But the overthinking starts: how can I promote this once it is done? Maybe an automated smart herb planter on Kickstarter? Is this interesting to the FANG recruiters that might find it?
Is this game dev project I am excited about a waste of time - should I instead be reading up on the latest GenAI buzz?
How about you chill for a second. Yeah, just chill. How about your why being because I feel like it and because it is fun.
Are you doing all these things for yourself? Or are you doing them because someone told you that it is what you should be doing right now? For "the people that care about you", but are more excited about their Bitcoin investment than about your life?
"You should be reading up on ETFs. You should be getting that AWS certification on your weekends." Give me a break and let me knit my socks in peace.
I don't want to accept I cannot enjoy myself spending 3 hours in the kitchen cooking something I really look forward to trying, because it is a "waste of time". Instead, I apparently should be getting unhealthy crap food delivered while I write an email to my manager informing them of the great progress I made during the weekend by turning the client's success my personal quest and working unpaid overtime.
This is a very privileged view. It assumes you have a stable job and you are not getting 100% of your gratification and purpose from it. It assumes you have hobbies and passions and the feeling you never have any time for them because "more productive tasks" always overshadow them. If you feel you are unhappy with what you have, by all means, put all the energy and effort you can muster into changing it to something better.
A balanced and rested mind is more effective than an overworked one. Take time for yourself and your mental well-being.