Yes it is a balance, but it's important that we always be mindful not to get caught up in the rat race. Life is a beautiful thing in of itself and shouldn't be fractionalized to achieve maximum ego-gain, nor should it be entirely mismanaged that it dishevels your ego completely.

Your time is free and will continue to be so. As a human, hey you got some time left and if you got goals, well then perhaps you haven't time to waste. Yet, if you wish to speak of "reality", you must tell me who's the one demanding any payment for any second of your time? Is it no one but yourself? Is it not your idea of what that time could have (perhaps _should_ have)? No, that's not reality -- that's your superego, which is in your own head.

You should watch your tongue a little more carefully; it's rude to reply "no time is free" when it's not at all the topic of conversation. You deserved to get downvoted for that reply and the reason you're getting downvoted for this one is that it's too binary. Lighten up. All someone said is "I do this in my free time" and you had to step in as protector of truth and say "no such thing." There's no valor in this behavior.