As we all know, time is more valuable than money, and you can always make more money but you can’t make more time. Time goes by whether you’re doing something productive or just sitting on your ass. It marches on if you’re listening to B.S. or being enlightened.

          Time can’t be bundled up and stored away in safekeeping for future use. It’s here now and then it’s gone. Today is today; it isn’t coming back.

Make the most of it

           The best way to honor the value of your time is to use it wisely. Today and every day is a gift to be experienced with joy and passion. Life as a whole is a gift to be lived with joy and passion. At bedtime, how often can you reflect upon the day and feel you have honored it? Or have you succumbed to hours of mindless TV watching, or gossiping, or being with negative or boring people?

           How much of your time is unfocused, unmotivated or unplanned? It might be a good idea to look at, on the average, how much time you spend online, planning meals, reading the news, missing or being late for appointments, commuting, gossiping, on the phone or arguing. How much time have you wasted being upset and angry? And for what? Being motivated and taking the time to plan much of your time will help you avoid many pitfalls of wasting time.

          As it is for many retired seniors, I have more free time than when I worked. But that is no excuse to waste time. It’s still important to have goals about today or about the week ahead. Living with purpose is more productive and rewarding.

           Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for relaxing and smelling the roses, for resting and rejuvenating and refueling. Sometimes I have to schedule down-time to make sure it happens. Since we’re both retired, my husband and I try to mark off one day a week that we don’t schedule appointments or chores.

Wasting time in negativity

          Anytime I hang out with people who consistently bring me down, I’m dishonoring the value of time. I think this is a problem for many of us. We don’t know how to extricate ourselves from people or conversations that solve no problems and serve no purpose other than to waste precious moments/hours/years. Life is too short to be in the presence of people who are chronically negative. Doing so is sure to turn us into negative and cranky people as well. I’m not saying these are bad people, but just be aware of the power of their negativity and how it rubs off on you.

          I’ve been guilty of wasting time trying to resolve every conflict or respond to every critic. It’s not a good use of time to spin your wheels trying to convince everyone to like you. Some people just won’t. I’ve tried in recent years to pick the people closest to me by their positive attitudes and approach to life. My inner circle needs to reflect the enthusiastic and upbeat person that I am.

What about you?

          What did you do with your day today? Did you treat your time like valuable cash?


Contact Antonia at antoniasseniormoments@hotmail.com or