Time is the one thing in life, besides life itself that we do not get back. Read that again.
Let that sink in for a moment. Time is probably the most valuable thing in my life outside of my loved ones and doggo, Sony. I cannot stress enough how important we spend our time. If you think about it, we have 24 hours in a day. An average full-time worker spends about 8 hours working, people like to get 6-8 hours of sleep, we spend a few hours a day cooking and eating. Some of us commute so add that on top of the math. We spend about 19-20 hours doing normal daily tasks. What about the extra 4 hours during the work week? Maybe some spend a 1 or 2 at the gym, some people spend it watching T.V. reading, or maybe seeking higher education.
But not all of us know how to manage our time well, so we start feeling overwhelmed like we do not have time to do anything. In reality, we are just not prioritizing our time right. Take a deep breath, that wasn't a jab toward you, it's an observation. I know so many people who ask me, "how do you have time to do fun stuff, get your Masters, hang out with people, travel, and do all these cool things while you're working."
The simple answer - I make the fucking time. I allocate time to do the things I want to do like finish my Master's degree, visit my family, and plan trips with friends. But I am also working a full-time corporate job while trying to manage a small business. It is possible to do the things you want to do and see the people you want to see, you just have to change your viewpoint on time. I am always thanking my friends and family when they spend time with me. We are all busy people so I express my gratitude for their time because they won't ever get it back! My mom once said, "you don't have to thank me anak (child - in tagalog), I appreciate you visiting San Diego, I know you are busy." I told her, "I am never too busy for you mom."
As I got older, I started to appreciate the time I have with my parents more because I know that each passing year, is another year they get older too. I don't have an infinite amount time with my parents. I wish I did, but the harsh reality is that one day, my parents won't be here anymore. Same goes for my friends or other family members. So I like to capitalize on the time I have available. Money, friends, items, and jobs all come and go. But time just goes...
So how are you going to spend your time?
