The master was saying to me last night "I hate when people say they haven't got much on" and I shrugged and said "you mean you hate that you have made yourself so incredibly busy"
and since then I've been thinking about it. He has genuine contempt for people that don't have anything to show for their time, and I don't think that's fair! He can't understand how those people work, and probably doesn't understand how they don't want to be like him, with his endless lists and opportunism at every corner!

I can be productive in short fierce bursts, but I need time in between to recharge I don't like to have a full plate, full calendar and be busy busy busy!

I do everything at a snail's pace. It can take me twenty minutes just to make a sandwich and cup of tea.

I have to wake-up at 6:30 to get to work for 9:30 - and work is only a ten minute bus ride away. I just take AGES to do everything.

I think I must have the body clock of a tortoise.

I am a very busy person; a real go-getter.

It sounds like you are experiencing a clash between a type B and a type A. I am surely a type A, as is my wife. It has its troubles, because we both want to be in control and have our schedules be met. However, I think it is better that we are both type A. Neither one of us ever gets upset with the other if we are too busy. When I watch a game, I don't expect her to join me, because I know she can do her things. When she relaxes, I go and do my thing. We eat dinner together and spend time together on the weekends, and it seems to work well.

Sometimes I'm productive, but I can be really lazy.

And I don't think we owe it to anyone to be "productive members of society." I do think we shouldn't be leeches, though.

Having to-do lists is not natural. I've never met a single tiger that had one!

I very much admire ambitious people.
What I don't like is when they do it because they think they'll be happy do to accomplishing this or that task.
To me it's more about bettering yourself than about finding happiness which can't be found from getting the job, house, or car you want, etc. etc.



But for pepole who go about their daily lives not seeking to do anything to improve themselves--I don't hate them, but I generally don't have much to say to them. It baffles my mind when somebody takes absolutely no measures to improve their lives or to prepare for the future. I've seen the lives of several of my relatives fall completely apart due to ill health in their later years, and too many older people not end up with the retirement they dreamed of having, confined to hospital walls instead of trips to Greece, Paris, etc. etc. to realize that every single minute of your life is a rush against time.

And to be honest, I wasted the last 2 years of my life chasing meaningless pursuits which are 'icing on the cake'. What I really need to do is ensure I do not end up like my older relatives if at all I can help it. And this requires ambition. It requires proactive steps to improve myself (career, stress, health).

It's morbid but I always think about how things 'will fall apart' in the future, and how I need to have all my ducks in a row when they happen. Things fell apart for me earlier this year, and it was because I wasn't proactive in 2007 or 2008. I was coasting.


There is sooooo much more I want to say on the subject, but I got to get on the shuttle to SiRacha this morning . But I love this discussion. I'm fascinated by non-ambitious people and don't understand their often lethargic attitudes. I would imagine, even for stay at home moms, it's race against time---how do you save up for the child's college? How do you get the kids portfolios ready for scholarships? etc. etc. etc.

NDRU said:

I have to do lists too, but mine are daily small tasks that I work through at my own pace, and if I don't do them today, I do them when the time feels right!

I love "doing nothing" time, but the master, should he find himself doing nothing, falls asleep, that's how tired he is all the time from NOT RESTING!

I look at somebody like Madonna - and I pity her. I really do.

She's filled her life with so many plans; deadlines; schedules; schemes... I really don't think she's happy.

ZombieKitten said:

Sure, there's no right way. We are lucky to get to choose how we live

Darwintheorgangrinder said:

oh I wouldn't say we clash exactly, I just couldn't live like that, and wish he could slow down sometimes.

I looked up the types on wikipedia

Type A individuals can be described as impatient, time-conscious, concerned about their status, highly competitive, ambitious, business-like, aggressive, having difficulty relaxing; and are sometimes disliked by individuals with Type B personalities for the way that they're always rushing.[1] They are often high-achieving workaholics who multi-task, drive themselves with deadlines, and are unhappy about delays. Because of these characteristics, Type A individuals are often described as "stress junkies."

Type B individuals, in contrast, are described as patient, relaxed, and easy-going, generally lacking any sense of urgency. Because of these characteristics, Type B individuals are often described as apathetic and disengaged. There is also a Type AB mixed profile for people who cannot be clearly categorized.

neither of us fit into the categories really he couldn't care less about corporate ladder etc for example, and I can never be late - I am the one impatient with delay etc

I feel like he thinks he will have time once everything is DONE, whereas I see his list of to-dos as neverending and he is missing the here and now.

I'm somewhere in between. I like to have some tasks and accomplish things, but I'm also someone who needs LOTS of downtime. I need 8-9 hours of sleep a night. I need plenty of time each week to tune out, whether that means reading, watching dvds, spending time on the internet, whatever. I need time to be social, hang out with friends or family and I need time alone. I have a fairly high stress job, but I make sure I don't have to work more than 40 hours a week on a regular basis. If I could make a comfortable living working only part-time I'd do it in a heart beat.

If I lean either direction, I'd rather have more leisure time. I really don't think I get enough and I think that the US in particular doesn't value the important things in life when it comes to work/life balance and I think that sucks.

CarrieMpls said:

This is totally, completely, and utterly true.

And it is the result of Wallstreet. I'm totally, utterly, and completely convinced.

I worked for one of the major banks responsible for this 'lifestyle' extremism in the USA, and trust me--it's because of WallStreet and giant companies needing to make their numbers.

Nope. I admit that if depressed actually keeping busy is a good idea, but if you cant find a job, then you cant be productive really can you?

Iam not ambitious because I still dont know where to channel my energies into? If I had a goal, then I could be productive etc... Iam 24 LOL. Be fine if I was 16 saying that but hey ho

thesexofit said:

I have a friend who is unemployed and has been on this motivation program, trying to sell me on it. He says he does all this stuff now that he had neglected before--except working, that is!

If I didn't work I could go jogging too!!

I have to be busy if I have down time u don't want to see what happens
I multi-task very well.

thesexofit said:

You can totally be productive without a job. You can look for a job. You can volunteer. You can take classes. You can go to the library. Learning is totally productive. You can keep house. My gawd, there are SO many productive things you can do that don't involve receiving a paycheck for it.

thesexofit said:

the master makes music, writes and records, produces CDs - all outside of work, this is what he channels his energies into. Having said that, he needs a job to finance the hobby.

CarrieMpls said:

I see what you and NDRU mean. Luckily Iam not out of a job, but just imagining being without one (and knowing people who are jobless, I dont blame them for feeling kinda low most of the time).

But going back to what you said, if you are depressed because you dont have a job, it will be hard to actually be optimistic about doing anything else in the meantime. You are totally right in what you say, but I guess you gotta have the right mentality.

basically i'm a waste of flesh.

ZombieKitten said:

It is good to see that wiki gives the same definition of type A that can be found in more standard texts.

I am without question a type A. The "stress junkie" thing fits as well. I seem to be at my best when the heat is on.

I actually think I am getting worse. Lately, I have been incorporating other things while I watch TV. Last night, I did the dishes while I watched the Knicks lose.

ZombieKitten said:

I'm more like you tbh. I once saw a psychologist years and years ago who told me that I was wired in a way which meant the best thing for me to do would find jobs where I worked like a bitch for a period of time and then took a fairly substantial break.

I for the life of me can't remember the term he used but this was his advice. Some people just burn out and then recharge. They can't go full pelt their entire life. Others just thrive off it.

So sometimes I just stop and to be honest when it does go on too long it turns into complacency. I always have to consciously try not to become indolent by letting it go on too long before I go on another burst.....maybe indolence is the wrong word. I dunno

This post reads like it should be on the babble thread.

connorhawke said:

is it bad if i say this response made me think of your shagging technique and overall stamina?

I am over productive and by the end of the day it's like

I waste TONS of time... either full-on procrastinating or thinking, rethinking and re-rethinking about what I'm working on instead of executing it. It's actually one of my key goals in therapy to overcome this.

Lammastide said:

connorhawke said:

yeah that wonder what it's called?

when im interested

Cuddles said:

did ya get a camera yet?

ZombieKitten said:

im crossing my fingers for christmas.
there are a couple small heavy wrapped packages sitting in my dinning room, im uncertain of what they could be.

whistle said:

Actually that NEVER goes away. I'm accused of being too randy and wanting too much

Cuddles said:

It comes in waves for me. There are days when I don't accomplish much (in the studio) and then it'll be a few weeks non-stop.