They say time is the one resource you can’t make more of, as it is finite and irreplaceable. This means when you spend it you cannot get it back, nor can you exchange it.

One of the strategies teachers use with kids who misuse or mismanage their time is to have them reflect and document their time thieves. For a 13-year-old this may be electronics, talking to friends, or watching hours of YouTube. Today I ask the adults reading this: What are your time thieves?

Maybe you, like your teenage children, love a good TikTok binge. Maybe you are a workaholic and bring your work home until late night hours. Maybe you are a parent or grandparent that runs a household, buried in laundry, meal preps, and managing mischievous toddlers. The maybe’s can go on and on as we always manage to fill our days with “stuff” after all. We wake up knowing what we need to get done and go to bed wondering how in the hell only half our checklist is crossed off.

The common reaction is almost always: There is not enough time in the day. The reality is that the “there is not enough time in the day” mantra is kind of bullshit. In fact, years ago I had to identify one belief that was keeping me from improving myself or meeting my goals and mine was, “I don’t have enough time.” There is not enough time to work out, write, read, return phone calls, or try new opportunities. I’m a working mom without a second for myself.

Well, it turns out that attitude or belief may have been true on some days, but overall, there is always time. The decisions you make throughout you day dictate your values and very easily can cloak or hide what you do not feel big enough to tackle. So, as you wander into your weekend consider making time for some of the following irreplaceable choices.

• Make time to breathe. Not just small, shallow survival breaths, but big belly full of life breaths. When you inhale deeply picture something you are truly grateful for such as a memory of loved ones, meaningful experiences, or future aspirations.

• Make time to notice. Turn off the sound in your brain for just a minute and look around. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? What did you not even notice until you took the time to pay attention? Then notice the sensations in your body from your toes to your nose. Just be…then make the decision about what comes next.  

• Make time to call someone you are grateful for in life.  Calling someone who has empowered you or who you know counts on you brings you back to the blessings of your gifts the importance of connectedness. Just five minutes of sharing in a loving conversation can make a difference for you and certainly for them.

• Make time to read…words…on a page…in a book. I love a good audible book or podcast, but connecting with words on a page is a different experience. It takes you away form that electronic device that is so often a time thief for you and places you into a more empowering mindset. I love to write in my books so I can go back and see what I was thinking and what words made an impact on me.

• Make time to laugh. Put on an old comedy your kids have never seen or play a silly game with the family or friends. Meet friends out for dinner or do a game night with neighbors. Whatever your cup of tea, make time to laugh and connect through humor. It is good for the soul and your immune system.

• Make time to serve. Most people will emphatically say that they have zero time to give to community work or service. However, service isn’t always a big commitment with long hours. Donate to food or blood banks, make cards for senior citizens, bake for your church, or rake a neighbor’s yard. Something small will give back to your own wellbeing tenfold.

• Make time to take care of your body. Screw the scale and ditch the overwhelming thought that you need to join a gym. Start with a walk and perhaps build to a jog. Start with stretching and perhaps build to yoga. Start with playing tennis and perhaps build to pickleball (just a joke tennis friends). Try to find 20 minutes a day to tune in and take care of one of the things you need most- your body!

• Make time to be present. Be where you are. When you are with your kids, be with your children. When you are with your partner, be with your partner. When you are with your friends, be with your friends. Making time to live in the current moment actually makes you more aware of the wasted time in your life that you spend on disempowering or draining activities. This reflection is key to gaining more out of the time you have.

Your values will and should drive your decisions. Sometimes aligning with our values means we cannot tune out of the mundane, difficult, or stressful events that occur throughout our day.  Rather we must meet them head on and make conscious choices that honor our limitations and create space for our possibilities. 

Sometimes a work email can wait, while a walk with your kids cannot.  Sometimes an hour scrolling on our phones can be put on hold, but a good book cannot.  Sometimes yelling at your messy family members can wait, but taking a deep breath cannot.  All things can be put on hold or concluded for the benefit of what is next. Just as a blog post about time must end so cuddles and throwback movies from the 80’s can be enjoyed for the first time by your teenage children. 

Smile. Love. Make time for those two things and your heart will be glad you did.