See the cities and know the minds of men

In truth I find I have not put this time to as good of use as I would like. My reading habits have tended towards popcorn, and overall my efforts and energy have largely gone into work. A key cause, I think, is the first factor on your list: Flexible work conditions and the temporal freedoms that come with them.

I have found that factor to be a hindrance, rather than a help. Work has been busy for me, partly because I'm temporarily filling two jobs and partly because with the sudden move to remote work there have been a host of management issues to resolve as everyone figures out new ways of doing things. Working from home has blurred the boundary of work and life in a way I find difficult.

That is somewhat my fault, I think: I could do better about drawing a hard line between the two. It was easier when I could get to work, sit at my desk, and be in my work headspace for the next ten hours or so. From home, even when I try, the fact that it is at my home environment tends to mix the two. As a result I find I've been slower in my personal projects, and in reflection and realignment, than I would like.

I suspect this is a personal preference: people must vary, with some not minding the blurring. I also didn't have much of a commute to start with, so I haven't liberated much time by not commuting in the way others have. Perhaps it's also that I'm not particularly social to start with, so this hasn't led to a huge change in my life. I haven't found it difficult, but I also don't feel I've had a good opportunity for self reflection.

I do admire Gates' habit of taking a week each year in a cottage somewhere as a retreat to read and reflect. It's something I aspire to do every year, though I don't always manage it. Extended travel of any kind is good for that, for me: time in airports and waiting gives space for reflection, while seeing new things pushes me out of my comfort zone and encourages new ways of thinking. It's one of the reasons I love to travel - it provides an opportunity to increase my understanding of both the world and myself. From the sounds of it, El Camino was also in that vein, though perhaps weighted more to internal understanding than external.

I'm glad you've found this time valuable. What changes do you foresee for your life coming out of it? Are you planning to adapt your routines to allow for more space, such as you've had in the past few months?

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