Today it snowed. Since this is Finland, it snowed a lot and more is falling as I write. When I arrived at the parking lot of a client company in the afternoon, shifts were changing and people who had been inside all day were milling about searching for their cars as under so much snow, they all look the same. They would knock a little off the edges to see if the colour was correct.

I really enjoy it when there is a decent amount of snow on the ground and it is cold enough to stay frozen. It makes the place so much lighter and when the sun sets at 3pm, all light is important. The longest I have gone without seeing natural light due to working hours has been over two weeks which is a strange feeling for an Australian used to the sun.

https://i.imgur.com/gielBlt.jpg

Lately though, I have been burning the candle at both ends as I have so many things to do with some being *'must dos'* and others being *'want to dos'*. Balancing the two is a challenge at times but I tend to get the *musts* out of the way before the *wants* because undone musts generally have a higher cost if left incomplete. 

Most of the musts are business activities that require attention but there are also the family pressures that draw time and energy too. These are enjoyable responsibilities too even though they are time critical. With my wife studying hard to finish her studies, this means a whole range of things fall to me to take care of. This is of course a healthy part of a relationship, one works to make space for the other to do what they need to do.

https://i.imgur.com/LXuZ4SX.jpg

At the moment, most of my wants surround getting the time to write and exercise with writing beating out exercise more than it probably should but, it is my current luxury item. Time is a  luxury that too often we waste on frivolous things so I am trying to be more conscious of the way I use mine. I don't think that every moment of existence should be productive for me but for me, combining what I enjoy with work is something I am getting better at.

When I started my business three or four years ago, it was a lifestyle decision, not a financial one. In the beginning, I lost about forty percent of my income in order to get away from a poor environment that was supporting me to be average. Working to get into a better financial position is hard but demands me to use more of my potential each day. There is very little time to rest and I enjoy it this way. A snapshot of me 6 years ago would have told a very different story.

https://i.imgur.com/D0Brfzt.jpg

But, as I said, I have been burning the candle at both ends with long days, long nights and very little sleep to break the two. I think I have averaged three hours a night with a random nap (if I can get one) for about two or three weeks, and it is starting to take its toll. I can feel that I must get some rest especially since tomorrow is a five in the morning start with an eight in the evening finish. One of the musts.

Yesterday, my wife and I were talking and I was telling her that if everything works out with Steemit, Steem and our little investing, one day in the future we may have some space to have fewer musts, and more wants. I am never going to stop working but, being able to choose the kind of work is still a luxury I rarely get to enjoy and still be able to take care of my responsibilities. If things don't work out as *'planned'*, it just means that the musts stick around longer, perhaps forever. This does not matter though as having the possibility to work the potential space is a luxury in and of itself.

https://i.imgur.com/l0B9hsu.jpg

Tonight though I will say *'No'* to writing more and leave you with the view from my kitchen window instead. I'll take some space for the rest of the night and get to bed earlyish (before 5 am at least) instead. It is actually hard to do as I have so many things I want to write about and share that in some way I think I have created another must for myself. I am an addict.

I will see how bad the withdrawals get overnight ;)

Taraz
[ a steemit original ]