Time is all we really have

In our current era, there are many who emphasize the mantra “work hard, play hard.” An idea that has now become so popular that it has produced multiple renditions, has become a meme, has its own song, has books with the same idea and has people talking about the concept day in and day out. The discussion even sparks a conversation from more serious people that working too hard and focusing too much on the “grind” is not a healthy habit for success.

To most people, this phrase or idea circulates around money — and while that may seem like a staunchly obvious truism, I do not think it is that true. Why must we work so hard to play so hard? What is to be gained in the hard work that is received in the hard play? Is it really money that we desire so much?

Well, no. What a lot of people forget about money is that it is not the only currency we deal with every day. Many people think about the phrase because it seems to pertain to us as it, in our current existence, is what puts things into motion. However, there is another currency that we commonly forget, and it is unbelievably more powerful than money: time.

Money — at any point in your life from the womb to wilt — you can gain. At any point in your life, you are always losing time, and you can never get it back. Again, another truism, but when time is placed in perspective, we truly begin to see how important it is.

How often do you think about time when you buy or pay for something? I mean, you are probably thinking about it but as a side thought, right? When you pay rent, you are paying rent to secure shelter; that shelter, however, protects you from the elements and extends your time on earth. When you go out to eat at a restaurant, you are probably eating out to satisfy your desires of hunger or maybe treat yourself and another. Consequently, the price of that meal is determined by the time you’ve spent.

Yes, things may have certain market prices we obey to be fair, but time is powerful enough to change that. The meal could cost $20, and you would generally tip 20 percent, totaling a $24 meal. But what happens if the food comes out late? What if you know your server did not put the order in for the meal on time. Would you tip less? What if the food was so late that you did not want to pay for the meal anymore, and the restaurant compensated you for your loss? What if your server was so amazing that you decided to spend $30 because you thought a 50 percent tip was appropriate?

It’s crazy that time can literally change how much we spend our precious dollars, but its power does not end there. Many desire to “work hard” so they can spend their future time enjoying themselves, relaxing and “playing hard.” Some come to college, knowing they will be in massive debt, just to enjoy the time they will never be able to experience again. Some pass away with the regret that they did not spend their time in one way or another.

So you’re ultimately stressed out that you won’t have enough money for something or you have other menial problems that will become valueless in the grand scheme of things. Don’t waste your time on these thoughts. Make sure you optimize your time. Spend it wisely, and spend all of it doing something you love.

 

James Hardison is a UF English sophomore. His column appears on Thursdays.