The 8+8+8 Life… and the 3F, 3H, 3S That Make It Whole

There is a simple rule people quote when they want to sound balanced: Eight hours to work. Eight hours to sleep. Eight hours to live.  I can't remember the last time I slept a full eight hours; I fantasize about it, but I will take what I am allowed.

On paper, this formula feels clean. Mathematical. Responsible. No one ever tells you what to do with that final eight. If we’re honest, those last eight hours can disappear faster than the first sixteen.

So I’ve been thinking about a quieter structure. Something less about time, and more about intentionality.

Let's call it: 3F. 3H. 3S. Yes, I stole this great idea and made it my own! I’m not trying to rebrand balance; I’m trying to redefine it. 

3F — Faith. Family. Friends.

Faith reminds me that I am not the center of the universe. Family reminds me I belong somewhere. Friends remind me I am known. If I neglect faith, I am adrift. If I neglect family, there's a hole in my spirit. If I neglect friends, I am lost.

3H — Health. Hygiene. Hobby.  
Health keeps the engine running. Hygiene sounds small until you skip it. There is dignity in caring for your body. In trimming my beard. Plucking the nosehairs. In pressing the shirt (at least flapping it in the air, trying to get rid of some of the wrinkles). In choosing to show up as someone who respects himself. Hobby... this one is sacred. A hobby is what you do when no one is grading you. No one is paying you. No one is applauding you. It’s the painting. The writing. The music. The woodworking in the garage. It’s joy without judgment.

3S — Soul. Service. Smile.

Soul is the quiet work. It’s a reflection. It’s a confession. It’s asking yourself hard questions.
Service shifts the focus outward. It interrupts self-absorption. It reminds me that the world is bigger than my calendar. Smile — that one surprised me. But joy is discipline too. Choosing warmth. Choosing lightness. Choosing not to let cynicism win. A smile doesn’t deny reality. It declares hope inside it.

Greg Sturgill is far from a motivational speaker. I am always looking for balance in my life.  So What Does 8+8+8 Look Like In Practice? Can I really shoehorn the 3Fs+3Hs+3Ss into one of those 8-hour slots?  Embarassingly, when I was a hardcore online gamer playing under the handle, The Ins@ne G0AT, my hobby dominated those 8 hours and more... that wasn't balance, that was escapism and excess.

Today, this might look like closing the laptop. Going for a walk. Calling someone instead of scrolling. Reading something that stretches you. Showing up to church. Laughing at the dinner table. Volunteering when it would be easier not to.

It looks ordinary. When ordinary is done consistently, it becomes a formation.

Eight hours for work. Eight hours for sleep. Eight hours to build a life that doesn’t collapse under duress. The 3F, 3H, 3S formula isn’t about perfection. It’s about checking in at the end of the day and asking: Did I nurture belief? Did I connect with my people? Did I care for my body? Did I create something? Did I serve someone? Did I allow myself to smile? Was I a better version of myself today than I was yesterday?

If enough of those answers are “yes,” the day was not wasted. When asked how I am doing, my usual response is a gregarious, "I am living a Life, not 'The Life', but a Life!"  Not a spectacular life. A balanced one.