There is nothing like the present. Live in the present because it’s the only thing that is guaranteed. Do not waste it; rather, take advantage of your life because death is inevitable and your time on this earth is limited. Reflect on that, and you’ll gain perspective and energy not to waste time, but to get going in life. You’ll start to take action and take control of your life. As Seneca writes, “We think life is short but in reality we just waste it.”
The greatest asset the world has to offer is not material possessions or money; it is time. Material possessions come and go while time evaporates. Once time is past, you will never get it back. Ryan Holiday wrote, “Seneca knew if he spent his time on the things that truly mattered, like reflection, bonding with friends and loved ones, and important work, the rest of his life would fall into place.” Our time needs to be spent on important matters to improve, fulfil ourselves and to learn something new. With deep work in getting to know ourselves, our loved ones as well as the world that surrounds us, peace will come.
You need to know what you want in life. What matters most to you? When you are aware of what you want, you know what you don’t want, and knowing what you don’t want is just as important. Be strict with the things you don’t want. If it’s something that will not bring you peace or fulfillment, then it’s not worth it. Say no! Stand guard to your purpose and choose actions and activities that will move you closer to your life goals. Saying “No” is not easy, but it is liberating. No is a powerful word and when used wisely, creates a world of satisfaction and enjoyment of life. You are not overwhelmed by all the daily activities you must accomplish but focused on your purpose.
This goes hand in hand with reflection. What have you done during the day that was good for you and what wasn’t so great? Reflection is a key component to not wasting time and ensures we are not repeating the same mistakes over and over. Take time to reflect on your day and notice what went well and what did not. Could you have used the power of no today? What can be repeated tomorrow?
Whatever you had set in mind to do, do it now. Don’t waste time. Human beings are masters at procrastinating, always finding a reason to push something further away, waiting for the conditions to be perfect. Marcus Aurelius said, “You can be good today but you chose tomorrow instead.”
When we finally decide to commit and stop procrastinating we realize that it wasn’t so bad and regret not starting to take action sooner. We realize we wasted time waiting for courage to start. This is also true for smaller actions. “I will have time later today to write a message to a friend.” Do not wait. Do it now! We think our future selves will be different from our present selves. We think our future self will be a superhuman, not feeling any emotions and doing all the things without any self-doubt.
Life is unpredictable, and you might have less time in the future or, worse, you might not be here anymore. You must live immediately. However, life is not about going 100% every day.
Relaxation is important as well as leisure. However, relaxation and leisure must also come with learning. Relaxation and leisure without learning is wasted time. When you relax by yourself, get to know yourself better or read a book. Better understand the world around you to see where you fit in and how you can make a difference in this world.
Life is short if you make it short. Live in the moment, have an open mind, and learn. You will get to see how beautiful it all can be.
Take care.