Making the most of your time

A given life in a mundane existence; where we sleep, wake, cook, clean, eat, drink, work, shop, smile, exercise, laugh, cry, struggle, grow old, get sick, die…. There are several more verbs to be added in that list of activities that ordinarily comprise usual life events. Some of us go places; entertain, serve, lead, conquer; yet a similar existence for all. A specified time for each one; a tenure called life. It’s worthwhile to make the best within it; there are no guarantees of a repeat opportunity in this same sphere. It’s wise to make the most of the time you have within the palm today. It’s never easy to hold the sand in for too long. Sooner than later, it slips from between the fingers and you realize: my time has passed… 

Problems with time

There’s never enough time. Finding time is impossibility in itself; it’s even harder to use it wisely when found! There’s always too much to fit into that candy jar called day; and as much as you squeeze, somehow no more candies can fit. And we’re left with a complaint about its shortage. Why is there always so much to do and so little time to achieve goals? Seasons change, birds migrate, hair grays; and we wonder: how did this happen in the blink of an eyelid?
To-do

24 hours to a day; and no clock can offer more than that. You can adjust clocks to slow down time (like they do when their batteries are dying) but you still can’t delay the speed of the earth’s rotation and as hard as you try, the sun will rise at 6 AM and you have to get out of bed and go to school or work or get to your house chores. And life seems to have an endless to-do list. And when you get to it, your real to-do list seems unreasonable in itself. And then we have 5 such lists; one on the fridge, one at the desk at work, the smart phone, the home desktop; and the ultimate one which often seems to be unchecked is the list in your head. The most important things still get overlooked! It’s time to get organized. A cluttered procrastinating mind can hardly ever attain superior goals. Make realistic lists that can be checked once the targets have been attained. And rank them in order of importance. Seldom do we accomplish all that we set out to, but when the ‘must dos’ are fulfilled; you can breathe at ease and prepare for the rest. Checking items off the list is an accomplishment in itself. The to-do list must be realistic, yet focused. 

24 hours: make the best of them all

Time will pass no matter what. Adding life to years makes the process worthwhile. An inability to accomplish targets should not be a detractor of enthusiasm for fresher ones. The tallest mountains (actually even 5 feet ladders) are climbed a step at a time. And every step should mark an accomplishment with the joy and pride it deserves. Satisfaction doesn't equate inertia. Persistent self-beating promotes powerlessness and the journey becomes more tedious. Mindful planning, lifelike expectations and practical lookouts allow one to achieve large targets with minimal stress. Getting it done all at once could be celestial, but the stress escorting that prospect is detrimental. Simplify life. Cut the confusion. Lessen demands and gain focus.
Failure

There will be times when you fail. In fact there are ALWAYS times when your time table will outrun you. It doesn't indicate poverty in will power or potential. It merely emphasizes the need to keep going. In the race between the clock and you, someone will always be ahead. In an ideal world both would move at the same pace. Nobody rejoices failure, but it does offer positive directions to succeed later. 

Moments add up

Like the flutter of a butterfly, childhood transforms to adolescence; middle age catches up and if you do find it the time, you suddenly you stop and wonder: 

• “Am I content with what I do?” 
• “Have I created pleasant memories?” 
• “Did I achieve enough or more than enough?” 
• “What an interesting path it was to get here!” 
• “If I had the chance I’d live this life all over again!” 

Making memories is harder than baking cakes. We all want to create memories that we cherish when we age; share stories of our struggle and the bittersweet taste of success. We have the freedom to inspire ourselves.
Grab the moment

Moments of today make memories of tomorrow. Some don’t bring smiles, yet each one hasn't brought tears either. The wheels are forever turning; joy follows disappointment, success precedes failure and day succeeds night. You have the freedom to make life’s collage with these moments. You can be as artistic and creative as you like, the parts don’t change; but how you choose to perceive them in the medley makes all the difference. Life is a bubble, a short morning dream. In the race, time usually has an upper; coping with time would be called prudent.
Happiness?

So, it’s been a tough day: dreadful traffic, hard work, barrage of meetings, phone calls, deadlines, due dates and progress graphs. And then a welcoming hug from a loving spouse. A positive appraisal at work. Meeting friends. Small delights. Petite moments. Countless smiles. Happiness emanates in a flash while you await that picture-perfect instant. Don’t take time for granted. Time is beautiful. It soothes, heals, matures and nourishes. Time lost is not retrievable. Seize the day! NOW!

With contribution by Ms.Nikita Vyas
Psychology Intern at MINDFRAMES