Dr. Shohaib Abass
From the moment a child is born, life begins in a state of pure possibility. There are no predefined interests, no burdens of responsibility, and no expectations to fulfill. Like a free particle, a child simply exists free and open to everything. As time progresses, the potential begins to evolve. Interests start to form colors, clothes, food, travel, friendships, and hobbies. These are not merely preferences but expressions of identity. During this phase, life resembles a system being supplied with external energy. Parents act as the source, enabling exploration without demanding equilibrium in return. The child, or even the adolescent, lives in a phase of maximum curiosity and minimum constraint. Then comes early adulthood, the brief but intense phase where one begins to earn but is still relatively free of responsibilities. In physical terms, this is a high energy and low resistance regime. Individuals spend on themselves, travel, socialize, and pursue personal interests with vigor. Life feels dynamic and almost frictionless.
But as time moves forward, a transformation occurs. Responsibilities begin to accumulate in terms of family, career stability, and societal expectations. The system that once operated freely now faces constraints. This describes the introduction of dissipative forces and in life, these forces appear as obligations. The energy that once fueled personal interests is now redirected toward meeting the needs of others. Gradually, interests begin to decay. The vibrant curiosity of youth gives way to routine. The joy of exploration is replaced by the necessity of survival. “Interest” slowly transforms into “Need”. One no longer asks, what do I enjoy? but rather, what must I do? This transition is not abnormal, in fact, the most common trajectory of human life. It reflects a natural balancing act between individual desire and collective responsibility. However, what is concerning is not the emergence of responsibility, but the complete erosion of personal interest. A system that continuously loses energy eventually reaches a state of stagnation or collapse. Human life is no different.
The question then arises: Can we maintain our interests while fulfilling our responsibilities? The answer lies in understanding the concept of equilibrium with energy input. A system does not need to avoid dissipation; it only needs to balance it with a continuous supply of energy. In life, this “energy input” must come from consciously preserving our interests.
Strategies to Restore Balance
1. Treat Your Interests as Essential Energy, Not Luxury:
We often categorize hobbies and personal joys as optional. In reality, they are the very sources of psychological energy. Just as a system requires constant energy input to function, humans need regular engagement with what they love.
2. Allocate Time with the Precision of a Physicist:
Even in the busiest schedules, micro-allocation of time can sustain interests. Fifteen minutes of reading, a short walk, or a brief creative activity can provide a small, yet impactful quantum of energy.
3. Reduce Friction in Daily Life:
In life, unnecessary complications like overcommitment, poor planning, and digital distractions act as frictional forces. Minimizing these can free up energy for meaningful pursuits.
4. Redefine Productivity
Productivity is often equated with output that benefits others in terms of work, income, or obligations. It is equally important to include self-sustaining activities in this definition. An hour spent on a passion is not wasted; it is regenerative.
5. Maintain a Parallel Identity
Do not let your entire identity collapse into your responsibilities. You are not only a professional, a parent, or a provider. You are also a reader, a traveler, an artist, a thinker. Preserving this parallel identity is crucial for long term well-being.
6. Embrace Periodic Re-energization
Human life also needs periodic resets like short trips, meaningful conversations, or moments of solitude. These act as energy injections that restore balance.
Life, is not merely a journey of growth but a dynamic system of energy flow. Interests represent internal energy, while responsibilities act as external forces. The challenge is not to eliminate these forces but to prevent them from exhausting the system entirely. Happiness, therefore, is not the absence of responsibility, nor is it the unchecked pursuit of interest. It is the stable equilibrium between the two. A life without responsibility is directionless while a life without interest is lifeless. The true art of living lies in ensuring that, even as responsibilities increase, the flame of personal interest does not extinguish. Because in the end, what sustains us is not merely what we must do but what we still love to do.
Author is Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP). Can be reached at shohaibabass001@gmail.com
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