> It turns out that humans need some pleasure in their lives
Yes, don't cut out pleasure. You might want to borrow a leaf from A.A. Long (the preeminent expert on Stoicism):
I was sometimes asked which one of the three schools I fancied for myself. Please don’t be shocked at my flippant reply: "I am a stoic (lower case!) in the morning when I write, a Sceptic in the afternoon when I teach, and an Epicurean in the evening when I have fun."
Yes, don't cut out pleasure. You might want to borrow a leaf from A.A. Long (the preeminent expert on Stoicism):
I was sometimes asked which one of the three schools I fancied for myself. Please don’t be shocked at my flippant reply: "I am a stoic (lower case!) in the morning when I write, a Sceptic in the afternoon when I teach, and an Epicurean in the evening when I have fun."