There’s nothing quite like a birthday to make us keenly aware of the passing of time. Celebrating the completion of my 58th trip around the sun earlier this month was a reminder that, like everyone, I’m not getting any younger. In today’s Simple Living Sunday post, I reflect on making the most of your time…before it’s gone forever.
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.
Harvey MacKay
Three simple pleasures and highlights
But before I go on, here are three simple pleasures and highlights of the last week.
- We finally got some much-needed rain this week, although it was very little and nowhere near enough. We need a good soaking.
- I saw a baby bunny in the garden on Thursday morning. We seem to have a lot more rabbits around this summer. Between that and the lack of rain, my beans don’t stand a chance. The bunnies are cute, though.
- My daughter, Laura is home for the weekend. It’s always great to have the whole family together. When our kids grow up, these times are rare and precious.
This week’s simple living focus: Making the most of your time
Are you making the most of your time?
Tuesday, July 26 is National All Or Nothing Day, a day when you’re encouraged to live the day like it’s your last. It may sound a little morbid but, from time to time, it’s good to stop and think about whether you’re making the most of the time you have on this planet.
I’m getting a visual in my head of the opening sequence from the long-running American soap opera Days Of Our Lives. If you haven’t seen it, it shows sand trickling through an hourglass with a voiceover saying “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives.” This calls to mind some lyrics from a song that was a hit the year I turned 18.
Because life is so brief and time is a thief when you’re undecided. And like a fistful of sand, it can slip right through your hands.
Rod Stewart, Young Turks
It’s so easy for the days, months, and even years, to slip away like that sand. But, no matter how hard we try to hold on to it, we can’t stop or slow the passage of time.
Many people spend their lives in a frantic quest for productivity—trying to squeeze the most out of every available minute. This “do it all” mentality often leaves them burned out and exhausted, struggling to find purpose and meaning.
One of the key lessons I’ve learned in my 58 years on Earth is that making the most of your time is less about how many things you do, and more about choosing the right things to do.
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Three things to do this week
Since we can’t wave a magic wand and manufacture extra time, here are three things to do this week to help you make the most of the time you have.
Make a list of things you want to do in your life
I hate the term bucket list because it’s too focused on the end, rather than the here and now. I prefer to call it an idea list—a list of things you’re curious about that you want to pursue at some point. It’s a great exercise to create an idea list and set it aside so you can pull it out any time you’re feeling at a loose end.
Take a few minutes and create your idea list. Write down things you’re interested in that you’d like to spend time on or know more about. It can include hobbies, learning, travel—anything that catches your fancy.
Pick your number one and start working on it
Now with your list in hand, decide which of those things is your number one. What is the one thing you’d spend your time on if today was your last day on Earth?
Make a plan to start working on your number one item. Even if it’s only for a few minutes every day.
But wait—what about the rest of the items on the list?
There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.
Brian Tracy
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to do it all at once or you may find you’re getting nowhere fast. Instead, feel good that you’re making progress on the most important thing on your list.
Find a champion to encourage you
The world is full of naysayers—people who will tell you all the reasons why you shouldn’t do something. If you really want to make progress on your number one task, find someone who will be a champion and encourage you to see it through.
No matter what we do, we can’t stop the sand from slipping through the hourglass. What we can do is make choices about how we’ll spend that precious time.
What would be at the top of your idea list? How will you take steps this week to start working on it? Tell me your thoughts below.
P.S. Speaking of time, I’ll be travelling for the next couple of weekends so my Simple Living Sunday posts will look a little different than usual.
An underrated plan! Most of us are content to just while our time away, but we underestimate how much we can actually get done (or how far we can get in achieving our goals) if we set our minds to it. Thanks for this reminder, Michelle!
Thanks Stuart. We really do have a bad habit of wasting time on mindless activities, don’t we? It’s okay to do that a little bit, but I do think we need to be a little more intentional about making sure the important things get done.
I love the two quotes by Harvey McKay and Brian Tracy. It reminds us of how precious time is… time is limited and moments are fleeting. All that we have the power to do is to take advantage of each moment of our lives and make them count – do what’s most important! If it is your birthday, Happppy Birthday! 🙂
Yes, those quotes are great reminders to focus on the important things and make the most of the time we have. Thanks. My birthday was a couple of weeks ago now. Heading for the next one now. LOL
Happy birthday, Michelle. Spot on regarding the simple things in life. I think life will be difficult if one is unable to appreciate these things. Also, I wish I saw that baby bunny, too!
Thank you so much. I think the inability to appreciate the little things contributes to a lot of people’s dissatisfaction with their lives.
I just turned 70. I am finding that I worked too hard and too much and am looking at my second back surgery. If you want to continue doing the things that you love, remember to take more care of yourself that your job. Thanks for the article
That’s so true Dennis. In 2019, my company offered an early retirement incentive program. I went to a LOT of retirement parties that year. I heard too many people say they had put work ahead of family too often during their careers. The same could be said for health. You have to make time for what really matters.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Very nice thought. I like. Time is money. Can’t return it’s!
Thank you. You’re right. You can’t return it, and you can’t get more of it!
Most welcome!