These 2 Multihyphenates Share How They Make Time for it All
For some, a question as simple as ‘what do you do?’ is the hardest question to answer. Meet Esther Park, an art director-illustrator-web designer-skateboarder-soccer player-surfer, and Alexis Carey, a full-time student-writer-model-musician-soccer player-runner.
THEY SET A (LOOSE) SCHEDULE
The more you do, the more you’ll need to plan ahead, so you can maintain a comfortable balance. “Mastering time management can help you stay consistent,” explains Esther. “I play soccer with my queer community for two hours every Sunday, because keeping that connection is really important to me. I skateboard after work three times a week with a friend that keeps me accountable. The only activity I do spontaneously is illustrating, and that’s only because I work five days a week as a creative—when I get off, I want to do something totally different. There are times where I fall off and pay more attention to one activity over the others, but I actually think it’s good to periodically take a break and rest for a bit. That way I’m excited to come back to it with a refreshed perspective.”
Relatedly, it’s OK to let life get in the way. “As a full-time student, I’m often stretched beyond my means,” admits Alexis. “My load is full, but I always make a little time to fit in the activities that bring me joy, like working out and playing instruments. Even if it’s only once or twice a week. In my opinion, that still counts as consistent.”
THEY IDENTIFY THE SMARTEST INVESTMENTS
So many interests, so little time. Figure out which activities are worth your energy. “I grew up surrounded by musical instruments, and I always keep them close,” shares Alexis. “If I’m bored, anxious, stressed, or mentally exhausted and I don’t have time to go outside to kick the ball around, I’ll play a few tunes to express myself instead. When I’m done, I feel at peace. Learning how to play several instruments helped turn me into the well-rounded individual that I am today.”
Finding an active hobby that you love, along with a community that encourages you will change your life in a very positive way.
–Alexis Carey
But don’t hesitate to take a step back and reevaluate. “Occasionally I have moments where I think to myself, ‘Why am I putting so much work into this? I'm not trying to become a pro skater…’ That usually happens when I’m not progressing as fast as I’d like, or when I see other people that are so much better than me,” says Esther. “It's easy to lose motivation and want to give up, but that’s when I remind myself why I love it. Skateboarding is great for my physical health and being a part of that community is such a boost for my mental health. Taking a step back to remember the value has helped me stick with it.”
THEY’RE MOTIVATED BY THEIR COMMUNITY
Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who have similar interests is essential. For some, it starts young. “My older brother also plays soccer; growing up I’d watch him practice,” shares Alexis. “I saw the insane connection he had with his teammates, and even then, I knew instantly that it was an integral part of their success. That experience is why I always strive for the same level of connection with my teammates.”
For others, it’s altruistic. “I'm a very independent person,” reveals Esther. “I'm totally fine doing things on my own. But if someone lets me know that they’d like to learn an activity that I’m involved in, I’m excited to teach them. I want to create open spaces that welcomes newcomers into our community and makes them feel comfortable enough to keep pursuing those interests. There’s so much joy in pursuing passions together.”
The best feeling is when I’m on my skateboard going really fast and the wind is blowing in my hair… It makes me feel like so free.
–Esther Park
Pro tip: Look beyond real life and take the community search online. “It’s right at your fingertips,” adds Esther. “When I first started skateboarding, I quit early on because I didn’t see many girls doing it. My friend shared the Instagram pages of several cool female skateboarders with me, and I was immediately inspired to continue doing what I love. Seeing so much representation pushed me to keep going. I’d finally found a group that I knew would accept me for who I am.”
THEY CULTIVATE THEIR CURIOSITY
And if the routine starts to feel stale, add another activity to the mix. “It’s always a good idea to figure out where else your interests lie,” suggests Alexis.“ It might take some time to find even more passions that are worth your time, so keep trying new things.” Esther agrees. When in doubt, circle back to step one. “There's always something else you can try to accomplish. I love that feeling of losing myself in the pursuit of learning something new. That’s how I started surfing.”
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