Personal Projects
At work, you have to do what someone else tells you to do. You may get the chance to be creative with what you’re doing, depending on your job, but it’s still a non-elective task. At home, you have chores and bills and all the other necessary activities of daily life. Again, these are non-elective tasks. However, when you’ve got the free time, you might still engage in activities that others might describe as work. The difference here, however, is that you choose to do them. They’re your personal projects.
I’m quite fond of personal projects, and I make it a point to always have at least one. This website is one of my ongoing personal projects. I also do a lot of work on my roleplaying games, particularly with regards to my characters. Some people might consider it a chore to write out a lengthy backstory, detail the character’s personality and motivations, decide their appearance and demeanor, etc. I, on the other hand, find it to be very enjoyable. It’s my creative outlet, and I imagine I’d burst or wither away if I didn’t do it.
This really goes without saying, but I believe everyone should have at least one personal project that they enjoy. It keeps our imaginations fresh and lets us forget about all the other activities that we have to do every day. Doing what you like once in awhile is just one of the many necessary steps to happiness.