Let me start off with something you already know. Time is a nonrenewable resource. But we rarely ever stop to think about what that means.
The truth
I think we’re all tangentially aware of the truth– time we spend, we can’t get back. But just how aware are you in your daily life? Every second that you spend scrolling on your phone or letting netflix pretend to be your real life is time that you could be spending elsewhere. And all that time really adds up. Take a moment to think critically how much time you might be spending on things that don’t really matter or aren’t working towards your self-reported goals. For most of us, it’s a lot. And with this awareness, we can find our jumping off point.
The process
It’s important to take stock of what you truly have before you start things. In this case, you’ll want to be aware of two things: your time and your goals. This is the bulk of your conceptualizing phase, and it’s incredibly important.
Your time
So, over the next couple days, make a commitment to continually check back in with yourself about how you’re using time, and keep track of it if you’re able. The aim here is to just figure out what you’re dealing with, not to fudge the numbers.
What you want is to be tough, but fair when it comes to this. Did you spend 20 minutes in bed on YouTube before getting up this morning? Write it down. 15 minutes procrastinating on your chores? Again, write it down. And try to pay attention to the in-between moments too. How long does it take you to re-engage with your life after “just checking something”?
And alongside of all of this awareness and bookkeeping, it’s time to look at the other side of things: your goals and passions.
Your goals
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how you want to spend your time. I’m not here to tell you what activities are and are not worthwhile, because frankly, I find that obnoxious. But I will say this: not everything is worth your time.
You want to take a critical look at yourself. Where are you at in life, and where would you like to be? Who would you like to be? These two questions, when examined thoroughly, are enough to get you started on figuring out what sorts of things are worth your time. I can’t begin to guess what your goals and values are, but I can say that those are the sorts of things you ought to be spending time on, if you want to live a fulfilled life.
Once you’ve outlined your goals and desires for yourself and your life, then it’s pretty simple to break them up into related tasks and adventures for yourself to explore. Try to make as comprehensive of a list as you can, to allow for nuance and variation, but don’t stress over every little thing. The point of this is to get your mindset right, not have every moment of every day laid out in front of you.
What is a waste of time?
So if you’re following so far, you may wonder, “If it really is as simple as this, why do we waste so much time?” And maybe it’s not that simple, but it’s definitely a start. As for time wasting, I don’t think that many people jump into their lives thinking, “Oh, well. I guess I’ve got a bunch of time to burn until I die. Let’s see what I can do to pour it down the drain.” On the contrary. Most of us want to put as much life as we can into our lives before our inevitable demise, regardless of what we believe happens after death.
The truth is, time wasting creeps up on us. Technology is a big vice for many of us these days, particularly in how we use it. We pass the time scrolling and app-hopping, until our day is done and our brains are energetically depleted. Then we go home and watch something, to have life just happen in front of us to watch. We’ve become watchers, not active live-ers, if you will.
Now, to be fair, modern humans didn’t invent time wastage. And there have been unproductive people long before iPhones existed. They just tend to compound the issue. No, wasting time is much broader than just being addicted to your phone. Anything that you are doing that doesn’t help further your goals of who and what you want to become is a waste of time. That may not sit right with some people, so let’s dive in a little deeper to explain what I mean.
What isn’t a waste of time
I don’t want people to think that I’m proposing a self-absorbed, hustle culture mentality. I’m not, and never intend to do that. When we’re talking about our goals, that’s a broader term than many might realize. The fact is, helping out someone else or nurturing a personal relationship often is moving us closer to our goals. Goals of being kind, compassionate, and caring people. Goals of building a community, or a better world in general. These things are just as important, even if they seem less tangible sometimes. I think it’s important to make time and space for them in our lives.
Another thing that doesn’t count as a waste of time in my book is rest. Resting is a necessary part of life, and massively important if we expect to get any sort of creation or idea out into the world. Every process involves rest, except for those that lead to burnout (and eventual failure). So no, resting isn’t a waste of time. It’s an exceptional use of it, when necessary. And if you want to learn more about resting, then keep your eye out for the post on it coming up soon. (Subscribe to the blog for alerts when new content is available.)
Life isn’t straightforward
Let’s be honest. After all of your planning and re-focusing, life is still life. It’s going to throw you around a bit with curveballs and loopholes every so often. And we all get off-track from time to time. There’s no reason to beat yourself up over wasting time now and again. And if you find yourself enjoying one of your wastes of time, then it might be time to re-evaluate your priorities and path. Remember, only you can decide what the best use of your life is.
But one last piece of advice, if I may. However you do decide to spend your time, remember to lean in. Life experiences are a very precious thing, and as you’re having them, if you can get all you can from them, every last drop of vivid memory, emotion, and lesson, then that’s truly getting your time’s worth. Even if you are “wasting time”.
Thank you, as always, for reading. And remember to live life as it comes!
