The average human lifespan is around 900 months. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already used up a sizable proportion of those months. Our entire lives are made up of finite blocks of time. Time is our most scarce and most precious resource. And it dwindles with every passing day.
Time is also a great equalizer. No one has any more or less of it than anyone else. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, and how privileged or disadvantaged your life is. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year.
We use time as a currency for trade. When you take a job or any form of paid employment, you’re basically exchanging time for money. You work for a certain number of hours in a day, and in return, you get paid a certain amount of money.
Time is also a means for showing affection. The most valuable gift you can give someone you care about is your undivided attention i.e. your time. To master any skill or achieve success in any field, it takes hours and hours of practice. Whether it’s money or success or affection, you can have these things, if you’re willing to spend enough time on them.
But our time on this planet is limited. It’s important to acknowledge that when you do one thing, it is at the expense of doing something else. There’s always a trade-off you’re making, whether you’re aware of it or not. So start by at least being cognizant of what you’re choosing to do with your most cherished possession: your time.
Many people try to make the most of their time by using efficient time management techniques to accomplish as much as they possibly can. But such relentless efficiency rarely leads to satisfaction and contentment. This is because no matter how much you do, there’s still more left to do. There’s always the next thing, and the thing after that, and the thing after that. It never ends.
This approach of efficiency and productivity neglects a cold, hard truth: you will die one day, having not done many things you wanted to do. The finite nature of our lives means that several things will necessarily be left undone. That’s why the choices we make are vital.
Instead of trying to do it all, channel your time and energy into the things that truly matter to you. A life spent chasing the mythical state of being able to do everything is less meaningful than a life of focusing on a few things that count. So spend more of your limited time on things that make you happy, and less on things that don’t. But this requires a deeper self-awareness to discern what those things are.
Some people would like to spend most of their time with family and friends. They are nourished by a sense of community. Some find solace in travel and adventure. Some are happiest while pursuing their interests and hobbies. Some come alive when they’re playing a game or sport.
There are as many possibilities as there are humans on this planet. Your preferences can also change over the years. The key is to look inward and be honest with yourself. What brings you joy? What makes your life feel meaningful?
As the years roll by, they are gone forever and will never come back to us. Time is not a renewable resource, and one day, you will run out of it. So value your time. And enjoy it while it lasts.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
— Mary Oliver.
