I am in a such a "meaningless" pickle myself, I have never imagined that hard tasks with strict deadlines are a breeze compared to this, it slowly but surely chips away my will to live, even though on the outside it sounds wonderful
In my case, despite being a programmer, I am a creative type. I have found that I routinely need:
- 1-2 hours per week playing an instrument or writing
- A date with my wife that is scheduled like a meeting that I cannot ignore or cancel
- A secondary (or 3rd or 4th) project outside of work, where there is a clear goal and progress is measurable (indie game dev for me)