Life balance

At our ministers Lent Study group we were given the exercise of turning our week into a pie-chart divided up according to the number of hours we give to specified activities. I tried some honest calculations based on what I do in a normal day, and this is what I came up with:

1. Sleeping 49
2. Working 46
3. Domestic maintenance 18
4. Eating 14
5. Playing 14
6. Relaxing 14
7. Prayer & Worship 5
8. Other 8

The surprising thing was how much time I managed to play or relax (reading over lunch, watching TV before bed, being distracted by trivial computer activities) and how little time I spend with my family (some of the 'other' hours include this).

These last few days I've had no time for blogging either. I reckon I've made good use of my time, but there's always been the sense of having lots to do and not enough time to do it in. Consequently I'm not feeling guilty about wasting time, but at the cost of not switching off from activity and hence not properly enjoying the company of wife and daughters. Actually, it's not as bad as it sounds - we had friends visiting yesterday and spent a large part of the time chatting, eating or walking. I even found half an hour to help M with her maths. But I'm definitely becoming an activist. I find I'm resenting any interruption which prevents me getting things done. I'd better watch out.