Hume wanted to dedicate his life to learning, reading & writing.
He became almost frenetic about it, diving in with a mix of excitement and extreme work.
Six months after he decided to go down that path he was burnt out.
It took him two years to recover.
He eventually learned to apply moderation to any activity he pursued, and to literally get a life outside of the confines of his home and library.
Read philosophy, but in moderation.
“He read voraciously and before very long had a clear sense of a literary vocation. By early 1729 he had decided that his would be a life of learning and writing, and, exhilarated by this vision of his future, he applied himself vigorously to his studies. Six months later he found himself suffering a kind of collapse. He had pushed himself too hard, and was suddenly no longer able to work properly at his studies. Reading now at his studies made him anxious and depressed. He had lost his powers of concentration. It took two years for Hume to begin anew. He had to learn to be more moderate in the way he pursued the life of the mind, to combine study with physical exercise, and to be more sociable. By the summer of 1731 he had regained self-confidence…”