by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)
What?! He is going to confess??? Well no. This isn’t a confession about how I have a wife and two kids in Nebraska or anything like that. Today’s blog is about tyring to get as much out of my life as possible.
There have been times when I been thinking about some of my friend and coworkers and feel that I am living double to what they are living. Now I’m not talking about living large: watchin’ eagles fly, riding a bull named fu-man-chu or anything profound like that, just doing a lot with my time.
One of the biggest time wasters I try to stay away from is the television. I’m not talking about watching my DVDs or a NetFlix rental I am talking about the time and brain melting broadcast TV. Entertainment tonight, Extra, Diners Drive-in’s & Heartburns, Lost (premis), Oh Brother, Survivor if you can watch and not die, Okra, and stuff like that. Nothing can suck you in quicker and steal your time than television. If properly planned out you can do just fine but most people just get trapped. You look up and it’s time to go to bed already.
I try to utilize my time in a way that is both enjoyable but measurable. I know that sounds very Tony Little but it’s true. At the end of the day if I can lay down and think about the stuff that I needed to do (at work, at leisure, or around the house) that was not a waste of time then I am happy.
When I get off work (which I attempt to get as much of my own personal stuff accomplished as possible) I get home, eat then chat with the wife then off to chores or projects. When it cools down enough I get outside and work on outside projects or the yard. When it gets dark I usually take a break and get in the pool for thirty minutes or so (in the hot months at least). Afterwards I spend some more time with the wife, usually see her off to bed then I either spend some me time playing a game or I get on the blog and write (or read Chris’ stuff). I feel that by the time I go to bed I have wasted less than 10% of my day on uselessness.
I have just grown up thinking that my time is important and time is not to be wasted. True, there are times when I don’t feel good or get involved in some show or game but I try to make sure those times are few and far between. I’d be lying if I said EVERY day was like the one I described above.
I hope than when all is said and done and I am in old age all this extra work and productivity has paid off in some way or another.