Time - the most precious thing we have, so why waste it?

Time Flies - Time flies by, don't waste it
May 2, 2007 10:09am CST
I got to thinking last night just how precious time is to us all. Time with family, time with friends, time to laugh, time to cry, time to work and time to play. The years pass by so quickly now, one moment you are on the threshold of life, and the next you are on the slippery slope towards your pension. How often have you said "I don't have the time" when someone wants to talk to you, how often do you say to your kids "I have't got time" when they want to play with you. What do you do with your time? Do you spend all your time working, do you waste your time sitting about doing nothing? Perhaps it is time to think about your time. Maybe by saying to heck with the housework, play with your kids. Take some time to appreciate what you have before you spend more time reaching for things you don't need. I have realised that I have wasted so much of my precious time over the years, time that could have been spent on better things and time I could have spent with my family and friends. All the time I could have used to go places in the world, see sights I've only seen in pictures, time I could have used to be creative and time I should have devoted to other achievements. So, what do you do with your time, do you waste your time, do you feel there is never enough time? Time is so precious, don't waste it.
8 people like this
19 responses
• United States
7 May 07
Is there ever "wasted" time? Think about it, any time you spend doing things or even NOT doing things is time spent. If you choose to relax and do nothing, that's not exactly a waste of time as you are spending it relaxing and letting your body recover from the rat race. If you spend your time working, it's not a complete loss because you're achieving goals, learning and hopefully making some money. If you're spending it watching tv, you're being entertained. I'm not sure there really is a true "waste" of time.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 May 07
Believe me, I understand! As a single mom I never seemed to have enough hours in the day. Having my cancer changed my view on life drastically. I'm not preaching, so please don't take offense. But this is how I handled it. Everything you do has a priority. Face it, making dinner has to be done but perhaps you could make some small changes that would make it easier.. for example use a crockpot to make a complete meal and have it ready for the eating the minute you're home. Limit activities, each child does not have to play softball, baseball, go to birthday parties AND soccer. Let them pick one or two sports they love, this will give you "time off". Believe me, they might complain at first but the end result will be more down time for them too and they will learn to appreciate it. Make one day a week a no running, no leaving kind of day. Sundays are that day here, we spend them together. Sometimes it's easier to say Sundays are a definite eat at home day, everyone must be here at 5:30pm no excuses. Even if you order pizza in or Chinese food delivered, you will have one day that you eat together no matter what. Good luck... and I hope you can step back and realize what you need to do to enjoy your life and not live life on the run. When you're no longer enjoying life, it's time to change it.
7 May 07
No offence taken hun :-) It's good to have the time you have with your family. I wish you well and all the best.
7 May 07
I sometimes feel that while I have been so busy, I have not spent enough time with my family and my son. There never seem to be enough hours in the day
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
3 May 07
This is so true. My mom is 80, her brother is older than she is, both are not in the best of health. I also only have 3 cousins, 2 live in NJ, & both of those 2 have had some medical issues in the last year. My sister is wanting to fly my mom up to NJ for a visit with her brother, her sister-in-law & the 2 kids in NJ at the end of June. I got to thinking... I haven't seen these relatives since 2002, if I don't go now, I may never see them again, in this world anyway. My brother is stressing about mom flying period (tho the doctor told him on May 1st she'd be fine flying.) If I go up then she's not on the plane alone. This looks like a win-win-win - my sister will have the hotel in Atlantic City covered, they will feed me so for about $300 I can do this. All the roomie says is "You'd better bring back some AWESOME souviers - you want to take my camera?"
1 person likes this
3 May 07
Good on you hun, spend your time with your Mum and enjoy the time you hve with her. Have a great holiday
4 May 07
I'm sorry ot hear that hun (hugs) use you time well, best wishes
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
4 May 07
We learned today that my cousin has inoperable cancer, so, it looks like its going to be 2002 all over again - with my bro coming as well - but only taking 3 days instead of 10.
1 person likes this
@lols189 (4742)
6 May 07
i try to spend my time mostly doing things that are precious to me but i dont think there is ever enough time to do everything
1 person likes this
7 May 07
Very true hun, there is never enough time
@mdchennai (2129)
• India
3 May 07
A very good explanation about time. Thanks! Well, first of all i am just 23 and i am not yet married. Talking about time, i do waste time. I know it is very precious but at times i just sit and while away my time by yapping or browsing instead of learning something new or improving the knowledge. Time is considered to be the only thing which once lost is lost for ever. There is no turn back for time. We often think about this only after we waste it. I do spend my time with my parents, my friends and also with my girlfriend. But i dont spend time for myselt. That is, i dont spend time to study. I have completed graduation, but i am not taking any steps to study further. But i will study further and will prove something in life! Thanks for the post :)
3 May 07
Thanks hun, yes time once lost is gone forever and you will never get that time back. I wish you well in your studies my friend
• Philippines
7 May 07
I thought sometimes that sleeping is a waste of time. So many things could be done. I know we need to sleep and rest, but sometimes the day is not enough to show your appreciation to the people you love. To fulfill your dreams. I have been operated three times and to wake up each day is always a great day for me. My scars reminds me that time shouldn't be wasted. Life is so precious. Even if some don't appreciate what you do, as long as you have live a full life. And strive the best in all things you do. Life is worth living, so time is precious. Have a great day dear! (^^,)
1 person likes this
7 May 07
Have a wonderful day hun, you know only too well the value of your time hun. :-)
• United States
3 May 07
I agree with you that time is the most precious thing. I try make time for everyone and everything in my life, but it gets hard sometimes.
1 person likes this
3 May 07
Thanks for taking the time to respond :-)
• India
3 May 07
time management varies from person to person. like you said that life is short so we should spend more time with our family and friends. but after sometime you will find that spending time with friends and family is such a waste of time, you have got better things to do like improve your skills for a better job, acquire new hobbies, upgrade your education, take a vacation etc etc. and then after you have learnt new tricks and applied them to your new job, you will again think that what a waste of time running after money is. its better to spend quality time with the kids instead. and then if you are a homemaker, at one point of time you will think what a waste of time my life has been, just raising kids and running family errands, i should look for "something" that satisfies my own self and after you have found that "something" and devoted time to it, you will again feel guilty for neglecting your family and will want to spend time with them. its all very relative and very confusing. so stop looking at the clock and enjoy life as it comes!
1 person likes this
3 May 07
One of the worst things about getting old is when you realise that your time is ticking by.
• United States
2 May 07
I think when we are young time seems endless. I couldn't wait to be 18 then 21 etc. When I reached the age when I could get senior discounts I realized that time was flying by, now I am older and wiser and not knowing how much is left I enjoy every nanosecond.
1 person likes this
3 May 07
I am looking at the slippery slope towards my pension now and wondering where did all the time go. Being older and wiser helps though :-)
@Bizziebod (3497)
3 May 07
You are quite right that time is one of the most precious things we have and I guess all of us take it for granted. I suppose thats why someone came up with the old adage never put off till tomorrow what you can do today and I suppose it is definately true. I think I make the most of my time, I spend alot of time with my daughter but I do work as money has to be earned. In my spare time I love photography so myself and my daughter usually go somewhere nice to take photos.
1 person likes this
3 May 07
I want to spend more time with my son, but he is 175 miles away so I can't see him as often as I would like. I intend to make time to go visit him soon
• Canada
2 May 07
Hi Hun, hope all is well and the job is going great! You are so right hun, great post! Before I had my daughter I was horribly guilty for being too busy to do anything. Now that I have had my daughter I don't do that anymore. I feel she needs me more then anyone because I am a stay at home mom and care for her. Now their are days where I say to heck with housework and play with her instead. That is a BIG change because I am a clean freak for years, as that is how I was raised. It was kind of sad when friends would come over and ask if they could sit on the couch because our house looked like a museum. Now I like my home to look lived in, yet organized, neat, and tidy. When she is having a nap is either my cleaning time or mylot time =) Having her has definitely made me "stop and smell the roses" and slow down from being a workaholic. I will be forever grateful to her for that =)
1 person likes this
3 May 07
Hi hun, I am at home now waiting for my next assignment. However, I am using the time to keep in touch with friends :-) Stopping and smelling the roses is definitely the way to go
• Singapore
2 May 07
I am basically wasting my life every day. Time flies and I know not what I did. Well, I know my life is a wasted one and I am not leading a productive existence.
1 person likes this
3 May 07
Oh yes you are Wizard, you keep us entertained on here every day and doing a very good job too :-)
@easy888 (10405)
• Australia
2 May 07
Hello,recycledgoth.I have set a long term goal, i would like to earn more money and live in a simple but happy life in the future.I am working hard right now, i do not waste anytime,i try to get my goal without wasting anytime,i try to self improve myself everyday so that i can keep update myself.I feel thjat i do not have enough time,but i will try to allocate time better.
3 May 07
Time is so precious to us all, we need to use it wisely
• Malaysia
3 May 07
yes.. i agree with you.. time is the most precious thing we have.. and why waste it? i'm trying really hard to maximize my time usage..and i think i'm lacking of time.. i'm glad that i've found a good home job and that's posting discussion in mylot.. i've found out that i get to learn alot here.. and i really wish this could last for some time.. besides posting discussion .. i use my time for classes and have meals... and the balance is for my sleep. .so.. i think i've already make use of all my time. .and i have very little left for myself. .which is very sad for a teenager =)
1 person likes this
3 May 07
I do admit to spending a lot of time on MyLot, and don't consider it to be wasted time, but there are days when I think I should be out and doing other things before I am too old.
@joice86 (1078)
• Philippines
3 May 07
Before i just waste my time in doing nothing. Staying at home and watching tv rather than spending time with my friends and family. But now, i realized that it is really important to make time with my family because i dont have all the time to do it. Now that i am getting busier, i should really have time to be with them especially when they are asking me to be with them.
1 person likes this
3 May 07
Time spent with family and friends is never wasted, and that time can never be made up later either.
@jahvo6 (623)
• Peru
3 May 07
I ´d like to have more time devoted to helping people in need, here´in my community there´s so much pain and people in desperate situation, that I just wanna do something for them, But I really cant affor d to that and not work and earn some money .
1 person likes this
@yanjiaren (9031)
2 May 07
You are absolutely right my Friend and I try to think of life as If I am living my lat day. That way I try to do the best I can and not be too angry, upset, stressed or impatient. I try my best to be the best person I can for every one around me. That is not easy as sometimes people around do not think an iota as I do, but I cannot be any different. Time and life are precious and we must value them as such. Thank you for your lovely discussion.
1 person likes this
3 May 07
Thank you for your words.
@akopoto (177)
• Philippines
3 May 07
I think everybody is aware that time really is precious but I don't think that all are showing how important time is. Others just waste their time lying in a couch and doing nothing while they miss the bright sunny day outside. For me, I manage my time wisely (well, most of the times). I give more time to my priorities first and I also give time reflecting and pampering myself after a busy day.
1 person likes this
@romel_ece (1290)
• Philippines
3 May 07
Yes I agree with you my friend that we must treasure our precious time in this earth.We must value every seconds of it because we all doesn't know when is the judgment day to come.
1 person likes this
@mohit1123 (564)
• India
3 May 07
U are so true about us wasting our time in doing something which is not really important but only to please ourselfs v do it
1 person likes this