All Work And No Play Isn’t Fun.

Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of balancing hard work with personal rewards to maintain motivation and mental health.

Abstract

The article "All Work And No Play Isn’t Fun" discusses the significance of rewarding oneself after achieving milestones. While acknowledging the importance of debt repayment and investments, the author argues that it's equally crucial to allocate part of one's earnings to personal enjoyment. The narrative includes a personal anecdote of the author's roommate indulging in treats as a form of self-reward after a month's work. It suggests that self-rewards should be within one's means, advocating for a budget to avoid overspending. The author also offers alternatives for those with tight finances, such as visiting friends or enjoying free local activities. The article concludes by encouraging readers to practice self-care and to enjoy life's moments without guilt, suggesting a separate savings account for personal rewards.

Opinions

The author believes in the necessity of enjoying the fruits of one's labor as a means of self-motivation and avoiding burnout.
It is important to spend within one's means when rewarding oneself; budgeting is key to responsible spending.
Even with a tight budget, there are cost-effective ways to have fun and relax, though the author is skeptical about truly enjoying oneself without spending money.
The author recommends setting up a dedicated savings account for personal rewards, separate from an emergency fund, to save up for bigger treats without guilt.
Life should not be all about work; taking time to reward oneself is seen as a form of self-love and self-care.
Creativity in budgeting can allow for enjoyment within one's financial constraints.

Learn to reward yourself after accomplishments

I decided to browse the internet to find out how to spend a certain amount of money earned. But, most people kept saying the same thing. Pay up your debts, invest in cryptocurrency, invest in your business, invest in this and invest in that. What people rarely talk about and what I was expecting them to talk about was how I could spend that money earned on myself.

Yes it is very important to pay up your debts. it’s very important to save money for your side hustle etc. But it is also very important to spend part of that money earned on yourself. I am never the kind who earns money and put it all in my savings account. If I want to stay motivated, sane and not having to burnout forever, then I do deserve to reward myself.

My roommate sometimes comes home with a bucket sized ice-cream and skewered meat at the end of a month. When I see him bring that much food home, it’s a sign that he has being paid. He would sit on the couch and he’d place the food on a small table in front of him and say. “After a month of pain staking activities in the office, I deserve to enjoy myself for once.” Yes you deserve to enjoy yourself, after a month, a week or a day of achieving something in your life. Whether it’s crushing a goal or getting a certain job done whatever it is, you have to enjoy or reward yourself.

But, because you want to reward yourself, doesn’t mean you’ll have to blow up all your monthly expenses. Please don’t do that. It is very important to spend within your means. In my sophomore year in the university, I worked for a company, bringing awareness of their product to consumers. Immediately I was paid and settled all that was needed to be settled (like bills). I bought a nice a pair of shoes for myself. It didn’t cost much, and what was left was starched away into my savings account. There was a line drawn for how much I could spend for myself and I didn’t want to cross that line. I believe that line should be called a budget.

But some people might say that their money’s tight. Even if that’s your case they are other ways you could have fun without spending much money (To be honest, I don’t believe in having fun without spending money). But one example i could give, is for you to visit a friend. You and your friend could talk about anything and everything that comes to mind and relax yourself with a bottle of beer in hand and watch television. It all depends on your interest, you can find something fun that won’t cost you anything extra; you could pay a visit to a cheap local concert or you could find a local park to hike, you could pay your parents or grandparents a visit, have dinner with them and relax etc.

If money isn’t your problem then it’s important to treat yourself time to time. For people concerned about spending. I recommend you set up a separate savings account (besides your emergency fund) where you can save up a certain amount each pay period till it accumulates to the point you have enough to get yourself whatever you want without feeling guilty.

We are all focused on work all the time to a point were life could just pass us by without us enjoying it. So it’s not bad to give yourself a little self-love, self-care that probably wouldn’t cost you much, but keeps you motivated and sane.

Just make sure to take the time and reward yourself for time well served or for a job well done. No matter the budget, if you get creative with your budget, you could find a way to enjoy yourself within your means.