You can lose, damage or waste some things in life, and then, get them repaired or buy them again. With time, you cannot do that. Once time has gone, there is no way to get it back! If you realise that a certain period of your life was less productive, or was lost in one way or another, there is no point in dwelling on it negatively; the best thing you can do is to learn from any mistakes, thus turning them, and therefore your time, into a positive use.

If you have had an unproductive period, set aside some time and meditate on why you feel that period of time was not productive. Analyze what you did wrong, what prevented you from having better results, and what may have contributed to your disappointments. All the information you gather will be very useful when it comes to drawing positive results from your past mismanagement, or misuse, of time. You can plan on the basis of what you have learnt from your own mistakes. Instead of wasting more time on regret, you will be turning mistakes inside out and upside down, changing them from a magnet for regret, into a source of valuable knowledge.

Here are some suggestions which you might want to bear in mind, when formulating your plan:

· Think about your ambitions, desires and aspirations, then prioritise them and make time for accomplishing them. By doing that you’ll have the feeling your time has been used in the best manner possible. Concentrate on choosing especially those things that you always said you would do, but never actually did That way you may feel an impression you somehow made up for the lost time.

· Never postpone things that have to be done, such as: duties, paying taxes, apologizing to the persons you hurt, and spending time with your family. All these actions are essential, so draw from them the certain charm they offer, and enjoy the feeling of completeness when they performed at the right moment.

· We all have dynamic lives, and we have thousands of things to do each day. That is why it is essential to make the right choices, and concentrate on the priorities. Do not try to please everybody at the same time, because you will get exhausted quickly, and probably end up by disappointing everybody, including yourself. Accept the fact that you can never be able to satisfy everybody. Focus on the persons you really care about, and who would be most upset if you neglected them. It is them you are not allowed to let down. That does not mean you have to neglect entirely those others seeking your help or support, but you do need to provide balance, to utilize your time in the best was, and keep to your priorities.

· Try to deal only with people with an efficient time management, and who make a positive contribution to your life, family and work. Don’t waste your time with people who repeatedly waste yours, those who are late for appointments, postpone meetings, or never get there. Try to have people in your life who understand how precious time is. If your job obliges you to deal with this kind of people, always try to have a back up plan at hand, something else to do, in order not to waste your precious time. Be prepared to say “no” or “excuse me, I have much to do”. It is your right, and not a sign of rudeness.

· Learn to do more than one task at a time.You do not need to be Superman to do this. Small things can make a big difference. For example, exercise while watching TV, catch up on the news while downloading software, read the newspaper on the bus, and do some simple tasks with your children. Always remember, there is not enough time for all the things we need to do, so… combine them. That’s what I am doing with this article; I have written it in such a way that it is appropriate to two of my ezines. Instead of two jobs today, it has become one.

Keep in mind that time is a gift, for it truly is the greatest gift you have. Without it, you cannot enjoy the millions of other gifts available to you. Make sufficient time for exercise, preparing and eating the right food, and one of life’s essentials, relaxing sleep. That way, you will live as you are supposed to – as if everyday were the best day of your life!

Roy Thomsitt is author and owner of http://www.change-direction.com and owner and part author of http://www.routes-to-self-improvement.com

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