Why don’t you know what to do with your time?
Evolution didn’t shape our minds for endless options.
When you feel a lack of purpose and no clear direction, you might spend a lot of time wondering:
🤔 Why don’t I know what to do with my time?
Most of us feel stuck sometimes, unsure how to spend our hours. Should you focus on work, hobbies, travel, family, or something else entirely? It’s a common question, and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you.
Humans evolved over two million years as hunter-gatherers, living in small tribes. Our ancestors didn’t ask themselves what to do with their time because choice was limited, life was short and dangerous, and survival and reproduction were the priorities. Their days were filled with finding food, hunting, making clothes, building shelters, caring for children, and defending against predators and hostile neighbors. That long history shaped our minds for lives with few options.
Fast forward to today. Many of us live without predators, with plenty of food, financial safety nets, and far longer lives. We have endless options for how to spend our time. Work full-time, part-time, or not at all? Travel, study, create art, start a business, or focus on family? Spend evenings exercising, reading, cooking, connecting with friends, or watching shows? Learn a new skill, meditate, or just relax? That abundance creates a new kind of challenge.
Our brains are still shaped like those of hunter-gatherers. They evolved for lives with little choice, not endless possibilities. That mismatch leaves many of us feeling lost or indecisive. It’s not laziness, procrastination, or lack of discipline. It’s biology.
It’s like sitting in a restaurant with a menu so long you can’t decide. Or flipping through hundreds of TV channels and never settling on one.
To navigate this abundance of choices and the uncertainty it brings, figure out which activities matter most to you or bring you joy or energy. Writing things down helps organize your thoughts. Consider peak experiences from your past, notice for a week which activities bring energy or feel worthwhile, imagine you have only a year to live, or reflect on common regrets at the end of life. Experiment. Try different activities, see what works, adjust as needed. Clarity often comes from doing, not waiting for the perfect answer.
Life isn’t about one grand purpose. It’s about spending time on what matters and brings joy.
