Work, sleep, family, friends, fitness - which 3?

I read a post by Randi Zuckerberg (Mark's sister) on this topic called "the enterpreneur's dilemma". To do any of them well, something's got to take back burner.

I default to work, family and sleep. When the family is away, I swap in fitness. What about you?

Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    Fitness, family and sleep. I'm lucky to be a SAHM and not have to work outside the house. I also don't have friends.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    Family, fitness, food! (I don't sleep well, ever...and I have very few friends IRL)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    You have to define what success is to a person. I can do all of them well. I'm not rich, nor famous though, but that's not what I define as successful.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • MamaSooz89129
    MamaSooz89129 Posts: 40 Member
    You NEED Family, Sleep and Work. That's a no brainer, but you don't have to be all or nothing with fitness and friends. Being mediocre at fitness is far better than not engaging at all. Same with friends, you just may have to plan better and it may be more difficult to be spontaneous.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    You NEED Family, Sleep and Work. That's a no brainer, but you don't have to be all or nothing with fitness and friends. Being mediocre at fitness is far better than not engaging at all. Same with friends, you just may have to plan better and it may be more difficult to be spontaneous.

    No you don't. That's your personal preference.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Interesting idea.

    I've always focused on maintaining happiness with family, fitress, and work. Ideally two those three are going well at any given time but if fitness or work lacks short-term I can muddle through.

    Friends dont cross my mind much. I chat on Facebook with family/people from high school/former coworkers, but have no female friends with whom I socialize other than when our families get together once or twice a year.
  • Dutchy_77
    Dutchy_77 Posts: 1,695 Member
    if its up to me i would go for friends family fitness. but sadly i have to work and study too.
    ill sleep when im dead. I've always been a bad sleeper.
  • shelshel77
    shelshel77 Posts: 4 Member
    for me right now- family, work, sleep. I work in fitness when I can- like when I don't have an afterschool meeting, PTA, or church. I am a teacher and single mom so fitness is really hard to fit in. Sometimes I walk the playground at recess just to get steps in or park far away from the store so I have to walk. It's the little things that count I think.
  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
    This doesn't answer the question you posed, but I have noticed that the fitter I become the more I enjoy combining fitness activities with family and friends so that's an easy way to get more activity into my week. I've made lots of new friends doing the sports I enjoy, too, so that makes me more likely to keep engaging in those activities.

    I've noticed that the main thing that robs me of enough time for other things is spending too much time on the computer with stupid stuff (not MFP) so when feel squeezed for time I know what I have to do.

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    You mean I get to choose 3? I thought I was limited to two, work and sleep.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    This compartmentalises life too much for me. I walk to whatever I'm doing because I can't drive, so a certain amount of fitness always happens. I have a few good friends at work, so I don't feel a clear separation then. I see my friends with my little boys in tow, so I don't separate family and friends. In fact, I have other things like hobbies to add to that mix too. Sleep? When I have to.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    My friends and family mix together and I love them all., Sundays in my house is like most peoples Christmas day :)

    We do fitness things together, hikes, football, runs etc.

    Work I love but at times in encroaches on family times which is annoying.

    Sleep, I have a saying that I'll sleep when I'm dead.
  • Jellybeanz44
    Jellybeanz44 Posts: 31 Member
    You know I grew up in a generation that was told being able to multi task was the most important skill, that being a jack of all trades was ideal. As I've gotten older it seems that being really good at one thing or a couple things and being able to do them to completion is more important. My focus is family, fitness, sleep. I work full time, go to the gym, fix dinner, story time, sexy time (sometimes???) With my significant other and get my butt to sleep somewhat early so I can do it all again. My house is not spotless, my social life is minimal. I'm an introvert so all this works for me.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    I do quite well with work, family, sleep and fitness. I also manage to spend time with friends and charitable activities. I find that blending family and fitness, and work with friends and charitable activities helps.
  • titianwasp
    titianwasp Posts: 139 Member
    edited September 2016
    I think this is perfect and the closest those of us with truly unforgiving schedules can achieve. so jealous of those who need little sleep. I am a nine hour gal who rarely gets nine hours and whose performance suffers accordingly.
    My friends and family mix together and I love them all., Sundays in my house is like most peoples Christmas day :)

    We do fitness things together, hikes, football, runs etc.

    Work I love but at times in encroaches on family times which is annoying.

    Sleep, I have a saying that I'll sleep when I'm dead. [/quote/]
  • titianwasp
    titianwasp Posts: 139 Member
    edited September 2016
    <<edit>>
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Perhaps combine family & fitness or friends & fitness. Formal fitness only needs a couple hours a week. That still leaves plenty of time for family & friends.
  • divcara
    divcara Posts: 79 Member
    Fitness, sleep, family - if I don't take care of me first, I don't function and everything else goes from there. My fitness time is my best "me" time and also adrenaline burn, stress relief. I do like combining my friend time with something "active" instead of going out to dinner, bars, or eating and drinking. Bike rides, paddle board, walks, hikes, taking a class together, etc.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,750 Member
    dogs are first for me. we spend the morning together at the dog park(I love being around my dog park friends) or walking, bike riding, I volunteer with an animal rescue ,then i begin the rest of my day (I've always worked the PM shift for this reason)
    family, friends, exercise are important too & combining those often and reading
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Once upon a time I was a harried single parent raising two children by myself. I had a few deep thinks about priorities and I realized that my physical and mental health came first. Otherwise the whole family falls down like a house of cards. Housework got sacrificed on the altar of sanity.

    Work is not an either-or. One can choose to live frugally in order to get off the wage slave treadmill. Henry David Thoreau worked that all out, though I would not trust his fashion sense.
  • Alienique
    Alienique Posts: 122 Member
    Sleep, Fitness, and Work (in my case, school). I'm selfish like that.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    Work, sleep, fitness ... family and friends can join me in my fitness endeavours. :)
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    I do a little of all and all I can do. Some days certain things get more attention than others so I try to be very fluid and flexible. I'm not getting graded on this am I?