16 Mar How to Make the Most of Each Day
Time is life and vice versa. In order for us to learn how to live a good life, we must remain alive to the fact that we can die at any moment.
We are, after all, mortal beings. Death is the flip side of life, and it will visit us all, one day. Since we don’t know when we shall depart from this planet – this dimension of space, matter and time, it’ll be wise to live each moment, each day, as though it were our last, by giving meaning and significance to everything we do and say each day. By all means, include moments of fun and adventure in your repertoire.
Caution: While it is important to remember death at all times to guide our daily decisions and actions, we must never seek it. We get the complete picture only when we keep both life and death in our minds at all times, and this helps us make the most of each day and what life has to offer.
The habit of procrastination leads us to wasting precious time. It has its roots in our ignorance of the fact that our life can come to an end any minute. Being alive means we are able to make a difference in our lives and those of others. We are rendered helpless upon death, even though our legacy – good or bad, endures long after we are gone. How do you wish to be remembered after you die?
Most of us are unconsciously caught up in the ‘circular’ paradigm of time, which suggests that the sun will rise every morning; tomorrows will keep coming. This leads to a thought which says, ‘So what if I miss doing something today, it can always be done later. What’s the hurry?!’ As a result, complacency sets in, and we keep on postponing things we need to do today, believing in an endless series of tomorrows.
To make the most of your day, adopt the ‘linear’ concept of time, which emphasizes: Time that has passed shall never return. So make the most of the time you have NOW. Do today’s work, today.
I came across an article on the net by Joshua Becker, titled: 10 Simple Steps to Make the Most of Every Day. It is reproduced below:
10 Simple Steps to Make the Most of Every Day
Our lives are a large collection of single days one right after the other. The sun rises, the sun sets, and it rises again. And in the end, the lives we chose to live will be determined by how we choose to spend each day. Unfortunately, for most of my life, I embraced little intentionality in my days. I survived each new day, but made little effort to make the most of it. Instead, they simply just came and went… and many were wasted.
But over the past few years, my views have changed. I have begun to view each day as an important gift. I have sought to embrace each one individually and discover the potential that it holds. After all, some may get more days than others, but each of us have been given this one. And we ought to be making the most of it.
Here are 10 simple steps I have personally found helpful to make the most of every day:
- Rise early. It was this article about becoming an early riserthat motivated me to make thissignificant change in my sleepingAnd I’ve never looked back. Earlymornings are quiet, peaceful,productive, energizing… and myfavorite part of the day.
- Eat right. The food we put into our bodies becomes the fuel on whichit We are wise to make sure it is theright kind of fuel at every meal. Justbe sure to include some protein inyour breakfast, your mind will besharper and clearer because of it.
- According to recent studies, people who exercise regularly report to be happier, calmer, and better equipped to handlewhatever the day decides to throwat them. Interestingly enough, thestudy seemed to indicate these benefits were experienced on a day-to-day basis, which means you can begin to experience them today by choosing to exercise just 20 minutes.
- Accomplish one big We all haveprojects, work, and requirementsfor our time – things that we need to accomplish. Likely, your to-do list is longer than you can accomplish in one day. But to make the most of this day, choose one big thing on your list and do it first. If you finish, move on to the next.
- Do one thing that you love.Apart from the day-to-day requirements of living life, you have dreams, goals, and hopes. You have hobbies that you love and activities that breathe life into who you are. Embrace these life-giving opportunities. And do one thing every day that you love.
- Rest Rest is as essential to our bodies as food and water and air. Our bodies need to be refreshed ona daily basis and a weekly basis. Don’t neglect to schedule rest. And don’t feel guilty about it when you do.
- Be present with others. Put away Engage in conversation.Ask questions. Give time for answers. And look people in the eye when you do. Their eyes reveal far more than their words.
- Give to someone Your fullest joyin life will not be found living itselfishly for yourself. Rather, theperiods of greatest joy andfulfillment are found in themoments and motivations when we are choosing to give to others. Invest your life in someone else everyday. Mentor a child. Help a co-worker. Fund a local charity. Or just make that phone call to a friend who needs to hear from you.
- Nurture your soul. Our lives are more than flesh and blood. They are also mind and heart and soul. Find time each day to feed your soul by embracing gratitude, laughter, hope, and faith.
- Reset. Tomorrow is another day with great potential and opportunity. You’ll want to begin it with a clear slate and a fresh start. Take 10 minutes each evening toclear the clutter and refresh your home for the next day. Tomorrow’s self will thank you for it.
Today is among the greatest gifts we have ever been given. Let’s use it wisely and refuse to waste a single one.
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