I don’t know about you, but the one thing I would like more of in my life is time.
The more I appreciate the success I’ve achieved in life, the more time I want to enjoy it.
I try not to think too much about all the things I want to do that I may not get time to do, and instead I focus on not wasting a minute.
As a result, I’ve become very, very careful with my time.
I guard it fiercely because I know it’s precious.
I’ve got a lot of demands on my time, and my goal in life is to spend as little time doing the things I have to do and as much time as possible doing the things I want to do.
And your time is precious too!
So if someone is a time-waster you need to spend as little time with them as possible.
But how do you tell if something, or someone, is worth your time?
1. They’re aware of your time
People who are worth your time are aware of your time.
Let me say that again, this time a bit louder: PEOPLE WHO ARE WORTH YOUR TIME ARE AWARE OF YOUR TIME.
It’s as simple as that.
If there’s someone in your life who is clueless about time management and the importance of it, then you better believe that’s going to affect you too.
They’ll be late for meetings or catch-ups and as much as you tell yourself that’s just who they are and “they cannot help it”, it’s actually a mark of disrespect.
For themselves as well as for you.
2. They’re not takers
People who are genuinely worth your time, give back.
They don’t expect you to look after them all of the time and they give as much as they receive.
Time-wasters tend to be life’s great takers.
They’re always around when there are opportunities or gifts for the taking, but when it comes time to pull their weight or do their fair share, then they’re suddenly nowhere to be found.
Interesting that!
3. You don’t feel drained afterwards
Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint whether someone is a time-waster or not.
A very quick and easy way to tell is to ask yourself how you feel after you’ve spent time with them.
Are you drained or energised?
People who are worth your time make you feel good about yourself.
They should give you energy, not sap you of it.
If someone is leaving you feeling tired, then it may be time to cut them loose.
4. They’re grateful
I’ve become a mentor to many young professionals in my time, and I enjoy helping people reach their goals and see them make a success out of their life.
I think I’m pretty generous in my nature, but I’m always careful with the people I help. I need to believe in them and their talent, of course, but I also can sense when people are grateful.
If you’re helping someone who seems to expect help as a right rather than a privilege then you’ll end up very frustrated.
I see this trap in workplaces all the time and I make sure it never happens in mine.
Often one person does the work or heavy-lifting for another person who just expects it.
Often these are people who’ve been spoilt growing up and think that, even as adults, others should do everything for them.
Time-wasters, whether it’s because they’re selfish or just unaware, are bad news.
Because they take more than just your time.
Time-wasters sap your energy, leave you unfocused and can even stop you from doing what you love — which is spending time doing what you’re passionate about.
