Life is an amazing journey. Once it starts, we are in for countless experiences which will forever affect us one way or another. How we choose to think will always be the single most important factor in determining the quality of our lives. It is crucial to realize and acknowledge that our experiences are simply just that, our experiences.

Simply put, there are certain aspects of life which absolutely must be under our control in order to live life to the fullest.

Two of the most important aspects in life are how we choose to think about and experience time and money. These are the two critical resources which will greatly affect how a person lives their life. In order for us to be able to do what we want, when we want, we must be in charge and control of these very resources. Without question, time and money are two extremely precious resources to any human being.

The focus of this article will be to talk about time, which I believe to be the single most valuable resource in life.

Time is simply fascinating.

The biggest challenge in trying to comprehend time is to give up the concept of linear time. Opposite to what you may have always believed there is no such thing as past or future. There is ONLY one time and that is the present, the NOW. This second, or this moment is the only time that ever existed and that will ever exist. Life or time is simply a stream of NOWs, one after another, ongoing forever and ever into infinity.

Clocks and calendars are simply human made measurement and accountability tools when dealing with time.

What humans call the past is nothing more than a way to refer to the NOWs which have already passed. What we call the future is also nothing more than a way to refer to the NOWs which have yet to come.

When an individual chooses their actions in the NOW, the present, with deliberate intent and in accordance with a plan, they are literally creating the recipe for a fulfilled life

Ask most adults what is the one thing they would do differently in life if there were to go back and live all over again and you are guaranteed to hear many say they would choose to spend their time differently.

Another miss-perception when relating to time is not having enough. You may often hear people say, “I don’t have time to….” When you hear someone say that, always remind yourself that there is no such thing as not having enough time. Everyone has time, and they have a choice to spend it as they desire. When someone says they don’t have time, what they are really saying is that they choose to spend their time doing something else.

Always remember, the greatest people on earth, those who have left magnificent legacies behind, had exactly the same amount of time as everyone else – 24 hours in a day, yet they were able to get so much more done because they chose to spend it with deliberate intent and in accordance with a plan.

If you find yourself running from one task to another, and not “having time” for anything, STOP, and ask yourself this question: “Why am I doing what I am doing right now?” Take some time to establish what you really want out of life, that which is important to you, and only choose to do that which you truly desire.

Establishing priorities is also a key to getting more done in the same amount of time. By doing things and spending time performing activities which really matter, we are constantly adding more to the bottom line.

One of the best ways to make better use of time is to do one or a combination of the following three strategies; eliminate, automate, delegate.

You may often find yourself performing “pointless” activities such as reading the news, watching excessive television, or aimlessly surfing the Internet. You can literally create more time to accomplish different objectives by eliminating some of these activities.

Technology is so great! If you find yourself buried in paperwork, take some time to research how you may automate current tasks by using computer software. You will all of a sudden find yourself with more free time to perform other tasks.

Unless you gain tremendous satisfaction from mowing the lawn, washing your car, or running certain errands, you could choose to delegate these tasks for a very small amount of money and use the same time and energy to involve yourself in more meaningful activities.

Another reason why I believe time to be the most valuable resource, even more precious than money, is because time cannot be replaced. Money certainly can be. Once a day, or a month, or a year is spent doing whatever we choose, there is no going back and changing what took place.

A great way to look at time and making the most of it is to give your 100% attention to tasks at present. For example, when you are at work or involved with your professional obligations, avoid performing activities unrelated to work. When you are at home spending time with your children, steer clear from taking work related phone calls or checking your email every 2 hours.

One of the best ways to manage and deal with time is to schedule everything meticulously. Schedule time to check email twice a day, schedule time for spending a certain amount of time with each of your children every week, and schedule time where you and your spouse can be alone and intimate. Schedule, schedule, schedule. The more you do this, the better you will become at it.

For the most part, there are certain activities which we perform everyday. Having a success routine is essential to a content life. My personal success routine includes the following four activities daily; meditating, exercising, eating healthy, and educating by reading or listening to tapes/CD’s everyday.

Create your own success routine and you will typically find yourself in a content state of mind regardless of the day to day stresses of life.