31-year-old man can’t believe how busy a completely normal life actually is: ‘On weekends, stuff always pops up. Grandparents need help with something, I have to get my car looked at for x reason, dealing with bills, random life problems’

‘The amount of effort it takes to have a mid physique, a tidyish house, and no empty wrappers in your car is actually a joke’

I read that phrase once on a random TikTok, and it’s stuck with me. I thought I was the only one struggling to keep up with the basics. I sincerely don’t know how people do it. Most weeks, I have to sacrifice something to keep up; sometimes it’s my chores, sometimes my eating habits, and other times the gym. I can never keep up with absolutely everything.

I still wonder if some people simply manage to do everything they have to do. In my mind, they keep their house neatly cleaned, find time to plan and cook their meals, always go to the gym, get together with friends on the weekends, and go to work just fine.

If they exist, they are maybe wired differently. They might organise their time better and never lie on the couch scrolling through Reels or lose themselves in thought.

Balancing life’s small burdens is actually an art form. It’s like building a house of cards; every card has to be delicately balanced so the entire castle doesn’t fall. Plus, you have to do it every day, no matter whether you are tired, sad, or don’t want to.

Honestly, I wish I had that discipline; I think it would get me further in life. There is nothing more rewarding than reaching that level of discipline and care, even on days you don’t feel like it. Especially during the days you don’t feel like it.

Is this a problem only few of us experience? Or are we all making a huge effort only to reach a mid lifestyle? I guess what happens to a lot of people is that they eventually have kids and realise they had much more time than they thought before. We have to seize it!