Time for me to climb on my soapbox for a little opinion piece on the whole issue of time (note the clever use of the same word twice in one sentence). We all have a finite amount of time to apply to just about everything when it comes to work or play. In an ideal world we would waste very little of it as it is just too precious. It’s often said that the most valuable thing you have is your time. So how do you spend yours?
Most of you will remember your earliest attempts at working a keyboard, or if you’re a little older, a typewriter. Yes, there, I’ve said it, a typewriter. Who remembers actually using one of these? Most of us started as “seek and destroy” artists using one or, if you were really good at it, two fingers. Those of us that benefited from typing or computer classes would go on to memorize the keyboard and use both hands to really pick up speed. The whole process of going from mechanical to computerized machines really helped to save that precious time – unless the computer crashed or the power went out.
You look at the keyboard of our beloved computers and the layout makes no sense. Believe it or not, it actually goes back to the days of the typewriter when these little mechanical arms needed to swing up and hammer an ink ribbon which would in turn leave a letter or number impression on a piece of paper that was carefully spooled into the machine. The layout of the “qwerty” keyboard was actually designed to slow the typist down a wee bit and keep these little hammers from jamming up and stop you abruptly in your tracks. I guess it took more time to clear the jam than to allow the user to speed up the typing process. Computers totally eliminate this issue. There, a little trivial pursuit to impress your friends and co-workers.
How you carve up and allocate your time when it comes to work or play is hopefully a matter of choice and not always of necessity. In your working world you have a number of things that you need to accomplish within your working day. Hopefully you are able to do this without feeling overwhelmed. You no doubt try to build in efficiencies that make you more productive and prevent the feeling of being buried. Then there are distractions that work against this. Time bandits or people who think nothing of engaging you endlessly in unproductive chatter are an example of this.
Just to give equal time to your personal world, I hope you are allowing enough time for all that happens and matters here. All too often you hear stories of people who allow themselves to be consumed by work only to lose their families and friends. In all fairness, it’s not always their fault. Yet they are paying the price – or their families and friends are. I suggest the goal is to strive and find that all important balance. I wish all of us success at this.
I’ve heard it said on a number of occasions that life is not a dress rehearsal. I’m thinking that if you have something you want to do, accomplish or experience – what are you waiting for? Maybe there is a reason to have that bucket list. Furthermore, you need to look at it every once in a while and take some positive steps at checking off some of the items on it. Allow yourself some time to do so.
So, how are you spending your time? Are you making the best use of it? Have you allowed yourself some of this precious commodity to take care of yourself and those that matter to you? I sincerely hope so. I will strive to do the same. Let’s wish ourselves the best of luck in this.
Until next TIME – lol,
Tracy
