The Value of Time
Time comes. Time goes by. What we do with available time is what gives it value.
Time has scarcity. You can make more money, but you cannot make more time. We are all equal that way.
So, how we use the time available to us is what gives it value. And, since there are many aspects to our lives, we have choices to make to add value or ignore value that can last.
In this post, I will mention money, but I want you to consider the element and limitation of time.
I often mention that you must make plans for each day. This relates to giving value to how you will spend your time, which is even more important than how you spend your money. Having goals or, at least, a framework in which you will operate and make decisions will help you decide to what end you intend to act.
Do You Take Care of Yourself?
I write posts about how health affects your wealth, because your health is more valuable than wealth.
Ask anyone who planned to travel in retirement but ignored their health along the way and find themselves with physical limitations, like a cane or walker.
Working on physical fitness, mental fitness, and spiritual fitness are essential to your health. Yes, money will help with exercise opportunities and diet, along with books to read. However, time is the element that persistence must work with.
You must make yourself aware of your physical needs, learning needs, and your emotional and spiritual needs. That takes time. Plan on it.
Then, ask yourself, to what end will I take care of myself?
Do You Manage Your Money?
My blog site goal is to help you build a better mindset for money. Live a better life by keeping your money under your control. And, most importantly, save some money to invest in your future security.
How will you earn money? How much do you need to live on? Can you sacrifice enough to save for your future?
There are ways to learn to make more money. However, will the cost be more than the benefit compared to other options? Career choices are important, especially when considering the cost of learning the needed skills versus the potential pay.
Those evaluations become clearer when you add time to the equation. How long and how much?
To some, making money is just making money with anyone who will hire you. That is just a job. Eventually, making a living needs more motivation to help you get up in the morning and go to work.
Managing your income needs a plan. Ask yourself, to what end will I manage my money?
Do You Go to Family Gatherings?
There are many whose family lineage is unknown or totally disconnected by distance or broken relationships.
Hopefully, you were blessed with a family with close relationships. Family bonds give us stability both mentally and spiritually. If that is your case, be thankful!
Even if you have friends that are a substitute for family, treasure those relationships.
Again, time is an element that makes planning to reinforce relationships. Make time for calls or other forms of contact. Plan to attend gatherings. Face to face communication is more memorable than a text message!
Ask yourself as you plan, to what end do I try to communicate with friends and family?
Do You Attend Church?
I know that Covid-19 disrupted church attendance dramatically. Although many learned to use technology to share their message online, the interaction among church members was missing.
Do you read scripture? Do you listen to the message in the sermon? Do you try to be active in church activities? Do you make donations? Do you try to help others with their needs?
These are questions for your spiritual well-being. Scripture is meant to help you make the right choices and help you be humble in your successes and willing to help those who are less fortunate.
This is another aspect of your life where giving time is more valuable than giving money.
Ask yourself, each day, to what end am I trying to add scriptural understanding into my daily actions and planning?
Do You Read and Seek Knowledge?
There are many trying to be influencers, trying to get you to read their message, including me, I suppose.
But, to what end are you seeking knowledge?
Your work options, your investments, your family, and your ability to manage your income will depend on how much you read, study, and seek out sound advice.
Reading is valuable if you give it a purpose. Not that some fiction is bad, because some fiction is a way to relax and distract your mind from troubling situations. Learning things you need to know can seem laborious. However, useful information is just that, useful!
Things will get better when you know better. You will know better when you admit you need to know more. None of us are born with skills and understanding of how the world works and what to do to always make the right decision.
Plan to make reading a daily practice. And I am not referring to social media posts and texts. Look for good advisors and authors who have studied a subject you need to know more about.
We have the world in our hands with the internet. And the library. Make use of them. Plan to use them. Make time to use them.
In your daily planning, ask yourself, to what end will I read and seek knowledge?
Do You Look Forward to Retirement?
I have met too many people who worked hard to be able to retire and who were lost as to what to do in retirement. Having money to retire does not settle what to do with your time in retirement.
Find a purpose for your time that can be fulfilling.
There are fun things to do, like fishing, golf, and playing cards with friends. But those are not fulfilling activities. Volunteering and other forms of helping others are fulfilling activities.
Hobbies might help. I was an accountant who always wanted to be a writer. Now, in retirement, I am a writer. That is fulfilling for me. My hope, though, is to help others with my writing.
Travel has been satisfying. Seeing how others live and enjoying natural wonders. Then, there are the visits with family who live in faraway places!
Money helps but the time set aside for travel, learning new activities, and making new friends has been a major benefit to me in retirement.
As you consider retirement, make some plans and ask yourself, to what end do I want to retire?
Don’t Make Retirement an End to Your Life
Consider this as you make plans. With the advancements in health care, many of us could live up to 30 years or more past our retirement date.
Although having a healthy retirement account will help, time should be what you treasure. Some of us will be fortunate enough to see our children become grandparents! I have and I am very happy about that!
My dad died of a heart attack at 58. Every day is a blessing to me. I hope each day is a blessing for you as well.
I try to plan my days and use my time wisely. My time is more valuable than money! That is an attitude, perhaps, but it is a reality when your time is up. Value time at any point in your life.
To what end will you live each day? And don’t make retirement an end to your life!