As we get older, we start thinking more about time. We begin noticing that there never seems to be enough time. We may even begin wondering how much time we have in front of us. When we put a lot of focus on our future or lack thereof, we inevitably can miss some of the good stuff that is happening right now.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Time is money.” If you think of it that way, it warrants putting a little more attention on your time and how you spend it. Whether you are a spendthrift or a saver, you are not only observant of how you spend your money, but you are also aware of how much money you have and how much you need or want. I have a friend who says, “I can make more money, but I can’t make more time.” The point is just as you manage your money, you have to manage your time. Don’t let time manage you. Ask yourself, “how much time do I have today and how will I spend it?”
One of Harvey MacKay’s most notable quotes is, “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” In order to use this priceless commodity to your benefit, look at your thoughts about time. So often, time becomes our excuse for not living the life we want to be living. Now that you are past the likely halfway point of your life, it becomes really important to honor your time so that you can enjoy all the days of your life. I stated you are beyond the halfway point of your life because I believe we all have the potential to live a healthy and happy life to 100 or more. That means depending on your current age, you have at least 30, 40, or 50 more years to enjoy life. And when you look at it from that perspective, you’re not old at all.
Do you find yourself saying “time goes by so fast?” Or “I never have enough time.” “If only I had more time.” These are convenient excuses we use which allow us to remain mediocre or unfulfilled. They are also affirmations. If this is what you believe, this is what you will create.
We all have the same number of hours in a day as the person that is living their best life. The difference is in how we prioritize our time. By optimizing how you use your time today, you can unlock more time for your desires. Change your priorities and mindset about time, and you’ll be able to live more fully in this moment and the ones to come.
Once you have identified your time excuses, you can start making time for the things that will get you to where you want to be. Here’s a few ways to find more useful time in your day.
Be decisive and take action. Give yourself a designated amount of time to make a decision. For example, if you are shopping for a bargain online, give yourself an hour to do the research and then make a decision. You have just freed up hours of your time. If you feel like you need lots of time to make decisions because you want to be sure you’re choosing the right thing, consider that you may be reacting to your fears. At this point in your life, you are intelligent and have lots of experience maneuvering through life. If you make the wrong choice, you can choose again until you get it right. While you are vacillating, life is happening. Take your finger off the pause button. It’s time to hit play and move forward.
Handle things one time. When it comes to email, snail-mail, and voice mail, open it or listen to it when you are ready to address it. Handle it then and let it be done. You will feel more efficient, keep the clutter down, and stop wasting time reviewing the same things again and again.
Make good use of your waiting time. Almost everywhere you physically go, there is a line now, the doctor’s office, nail and hair salon, grocery store, you name it. So come prepared with an activity to do that will make the wait beneficial.
Stay on target. Make a list of what needs to be done, rather than challenging your brain to remember every detail. Of course, there are great exercises to help you challenge your brain, but save them for learning time, not task time.
Monitor your time-zapping addictions. Television and social media can rob you of valuable time. Give yourself a time limit for those things and you will be surprised how much time you have freed up for something of value.
This is just a short list, but hopefully, it will inspire you to make the best use of your time so that you have more of it. If you can invest your time wisely today, tomorrow will be a lot more comfortable and enjoyable. As Miles Davis said, “Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing.” Use your time wisely so you can create the life of your dreams.
Love & Light,
Renee