Time: A Valuable Asset

It is worth the effort to calculate the asset of time the New Year holds for us: 365 days, 24 hours/day, 60 minutes/hour, 60 seconds/minute gives us 8,760 hours or 525,000 minutes or 31,536,000 seconds! 

That is an enormous sum. Everyone who has entered into the New Year is a millionaire in terms of time. 

There are four rules for managing this asset:

Be punctual! 

As I wound up the clock hanging on our wall this morning, I had to think of my elderly father. My parents have a clock on their bedroom wall that would run for 14 days before it had to be rewound. My father always did this task himself. The clock was precious to him, and no one else could touch it. The striking of the clock would order his hours at night, and the hands would direct his daytime hours. Promptly at the strike of the clock he would leave his room, sometimes even earlier. He was only late in cases of illness. Punctuality is part of using our asset of time correctly.

Keep order! 

Father was disorganized by nature. That often cost him time, but he continued to strive for greater organization and order. His completed letters were always stored on the same shelf, and his unfinished business also had its special place.

Postpone nothing! 

How many times did our father tell us: postpone nothing! Do not leave for tomorrow what you can accomplish today! 

Do everything in love!

This was actually father’s greatest secret for using his time wisely. Every unkind act costs you endless time. But everything that happens in love flows quickly from our hands, leaves room for new work and new rest, and gives us time to serve the weary without being rushed. 

G. v. Bodelschwingh (1831 – 1910)