This question could change your life:

“Is this the best use of my time right now?” It’s a slight twist of Brian Tracy’s quote “What is the most valuable use of my time right now?”

I prefer “Is this the best use of my time right now?” because it gets to the heart of the matter. Ask yourself that question and you’ll focus on what you’re actually doing at this moment RIGHT NOW. Then ask yourself “Does this really matter to me? Is this adding to my life in any way?”

I have the question “Is this the best use of my time right now?” on my computer. Every time I read it, I wake up in the moment.

It makes me accountable – to myself and to what matters to me. To what I want to create, to my priorities and to how I want to live my life.

It’s so easy to waste precious moments and fritter away time. Wasn’t it July just a few days ago?

Don’t be fooled. This isn’t about becoming more of a workaholic or a relentless do-er. Fun, rest, play, relaxation and daydreaming are not time wasters. They are critical to your mental, physical, psychological and spiritual health.

“Is this the best use of my time right now?” is meant to wake you up from the slumber that steals the minutes, hours and days of your life.

It’s for you if you have ever said that you had to “kill time” while waiting for someone or something. Kill time???

“Is this the best use of my time right now?” Ask yourself that question at least three times a day.

But especially when you’re:

  • Gossiping
  • Obsessing about what someone said or did
  • Regretting something you said or did
  • Judging someone(s)
  • Worrying
  • Avoiding something that you know has to be done
  • Complaining
  • Criticizing someone(s)
  • Procrastinating
  • Spending too much time on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram (Pick your social media addiction)
  • Shopping
  • Playing video or computer games
  • Watching television

Wait – before you get upset with me. Of course television and video games can be fun, relaxing and educational. And a certain amount of shopping is a necessity.

This isn’t about my judgment of what is or isn’t a good use of your time. This is your life. How you spend your gift of time is your choice. But you know when you’re wasting time. Your inner voice tells you even if you don’t heed its warnings.

Anything can be a poor use of your time if it’s excessive or distracts you from your priorities and what’s really meaningful to you. Taking into account your commitments, intentions, goals, passions and desires.

I used to exercise to avoid studying in graduate school. I know people who cleaned their homes instead of studying. (Ok, that one totally escapes me…)

Both exercising and cleaning are good and necessary for a healthy life. The question is “Is this the best use of my time RIGHT NOW?”

Happy Thanksgiving to my compatriots in Canada. No matter where you live, what are you thankful for and what will you do with your cache of 10,080 minutes this week?

With great warmth,

Anne