They say “time waits for no one,” “time is a friend to no man,” or “time is a valuable thing,” but how do you approach time? Maybe you think time is money, but that is a mistake. Time is valuable, and we think of money first when we think of appraising value; however, reducing time to money is silly because time is more valuable. Money comes and goes, prices change–but once you lose time you can never get it back.
We often discuss time like a currency–a medium of exchange. We have free time, we spend time, we exchange time for money, we waste time. How much of your free time are you wasting? Time is also something you invest–in yourself and into other things. You can use your time today to grow for tomorrow. That, in turn, can lead to future opportunities, and you enjoying more of your time later in life.
What is important is a mindset shift in how you view time: are you spending it, saving it, or investing it, and on what? How much of your time are you investing in yourself? Stocks cost money, but a library card is free. Don’t be cheap about spending time working on yourself. Be stingy giving your time to people who drain your energy, who don’t respect you, or who don’t believe in you.
Spend your time first on improving yourself, then on your hobbies and interests, then on people who value you and your time, and on obligations–in that order. Anything else is a waste. It is okay to spend time helping others as well, but remember to save time for yourself. You only have one life, and you do not know when it will end. If you do not want to live a life of regrets, use it wisely.
