While testing my site, I needed to create a few journal entries on the fly. I asked ChatGPT to help and sure enough I had four new posts. One really stood out. It spoke to the countless hours of development building things that no longer matter to me. This post resonated deeply and I wanted to share some thoughts about it here.
I recently reduced my available working hours primarily to focus on myself and family. I found it difficult to be emotionally and even physically present for my family while working full time. I found there was little room for personal growth or development.
This shift created much needed space for something new to grow and flourish. This AI generated post echoed that sentiment perfectly, prompting me to reflect on the nature of the projects I choose to undertake moving forward.
Integration
I want to focus on building software that matters to me and my family. I want to share knowledge and make it easier for others to learn and expand. The best work I've done has always emerged from genuine need. Tools I build for myself, solutions to problems I actually face.
These tend to be more thoughtful, more sustainable, what I might personally consider more genuinely useful.
Maybe the question changes from "What can I build?" to "What problem am I actually trying to solve?" Or even deeper: "Does this have to exist?"
Moving forward with intention
Reducing my work hours wasn't just about time management. It was about creating space for presence with my family, for breathwork practice, for the kind of reflection that leads to better decisions about where to invest energy.
This space allows me to sit with projects before diving in. To ask harder questions. To choose more carefully.
Tonight's intention: Before starting any new project, sit with the why for at least as long as I spend thinking about the how.
I love this idea and look forward to experimenting with it during my next project.