Where you invest your time and energy is where you invest your life. Invest wisely. – Unknown.
Time is precious and if someone chooses to waste any of it; he doesn’t know the value of life! How you spend your time will demonstrate; for others to see; the value you place on your life. So invest your time by focusing on things that matter. Do activities that will add value to your life; invest in you personal development. Undertaking personal development is an investment that does not depreciate, is not taxed, cannot be taken from you, is not susceptible to market highs and lows or inflation. You and your personal growth should be your greatest investments.
You can achieve personal growth and reap tangible or intangible benefits from activities like reading, taking up a hobby, joining a club or group, resting, reconnecting, resetting and finally by visiting somewhere new and opening up to new experiences. The benefits you gain are limitless – you will see your confidence increase, your self belief will improve, you will increase your knowledge, develop your interpersonal skills, your time management skills will improve, you become more emotionally intelligent.
Choosing to invest your time requires a certain self awareness. There are critical questions we must ask of ourselves when we conduct the time audit to determine if we are investing time or just spending it. These questions should cover ever single aspect of our lives. They should investigate our habits: do we gossip with friends; do we stay abreast of the latest celebrity scandal; do we mindlessly scroll through our social media feeds; do we binge watch series after series; do we sacrifice sleep to surf the net; do we complain about our lives and how unfulfilled and dissatisfied we are? The questions we ask should investigate our mindset; do we talk ourselves out of opportunities because of self doubt; do we engage in negative self talk; do we dwell in negative emotions. Do we stay in our comfort zone because we are afraid? Do we stay in jobs we absolutely hate because we are afraid to start that business; write that book; complete that painting; build that website; launch that course?
How we spend our time is really an indication of what we think about ourselves and how we feel about ourselves. If we hold ourselves in high regard and see time as a rare and precious commodity we would guard our time with great prejudice. We would restrict people’s access to us. We would would walk away from relationships that drain us. We would endeavor to live healthily. We would set goals that scare us and then work to achieve them. We would be disciplined because discipline leads to freedom and it supercedes motivation all day everyday.
It is my hope that each of us makes the effort to do an audit of our time and we are willing to make radical changes. Radical changes that demonstrate who is number one in our lives and the high regard with which we hold ourselves. Being in your presence is a privilege not a right. Guard your time and energy fiercely. Be unapologetic in your demand that your time be respected. Afterall “you’re either investing your time or wasting your time. Whenever you start to question which it is; that’s when it’s over.” – Unknown
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The Perspective Matters 