北美考试教学中心 托福写作组 崔国花
Due to the rapid pace of modern life, many people work far more than 40 hours per week. Therefore, how to relish limited leisure time has triggered discussions. Some people prefer a productive way to spend their free time, such as developing skills that can contribute to their career. As for me, I don’t think that is a good idea; instead, I would like to participate in things that have nothing to do with my job.
The main reason why I choose not to improve abilities related to my job in leisure time is very simple: it will wear down my interest in my career. Although some people associate overly ambitious workaholism with being responsible and successful, the truth is few employees can handle working on the same thing all the time, no matter how much they love it. This is because keeping one’s mind on one thing is exhausting and boring. However, if a person chooses to allocate his time to something quite different from his job, freshness will arise, and he could have some fun. At least, his mind will not be occupied with work for a while. Later, he could start a new working day with a fresh mind and light-hearted mood, which can nurture enthusiasm towards one’s career.
Furthermore, participating in new activities, especially ones that you rarely do, might bring new perspectives. Seeing life or work from new angles is not only fun but also benefits you in a way that you may never expect. For instance, my friend Echo is a flight engineer. She, like many hardworking professionals these days, was in sub-health status, so she decided to go to the gym. When taking the training there, she noticed how her coach explained and demonstrated things she had no idea of, such as using hip muscles rather than leg muscles when conducting a deep squat. She was impressed by her coach’s vivid instruction and summarized some tips like making an analogy and breaking down a complex task into several steps. Now, Echo is in much better physical condition. Also, with the skills she learned from her coach, she becomes a master in explaining tech terms to laymen. If she had been busy improving skills related to engineering, she couldn’t have had the chance to observe and learn from her coach.
Workplaces today have already tied people to their jobs tightly, with the help of communication technologies and overwork-worshiping culture. For the sake of their health and happiness, as well as the development of their career, people need to learn how to truly relax and enjoy their life in their free time. Spending your leisure time on things unrelated to your career is not time-wasting; it can even be rewarding.
