Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Gift of Time

“Not now, I’m really busy!”

“I don’t have time now, can we talk about this later?”

“There’s so little time, I can hardly get anything done!”

How often, and many times how conveniently we blame it on time. Our
days are so full with chores, jobs, assignments, activities, kids,
commitments and what-not that we don’t have time for the most special
person in our life – our spouse. Because, we take our spouse for
granted, thinking, “Of course, she or he will understand that I’m
‘busy!’”. But unfortunately, this simple assumption can be the
beginning of the end. It is the beginning of fights, of ‘you don’t
understand me’, ‘I’m not important enough for you’, ‘you have better
things to do’ and of course, stress and unhappiness.

Give your relationship the gift of time. That’s the least you can do.
And don’t make it up with material gifts, or chocolates or money.
Because, nothing can really replace the time you spend with your
spouse. It’s not something that can be bought or exchanged for,
financially. Giving time to your spouse shows how much you truly care.
It says, “Yes, you are important to me. You are important in my day.
You are important in my life.”
So, the next time you catch yourself giving any ‘time excuse’, stop.
Step back and ask yourself, “What is really important?” And if
something really needs your time and attention, then put it across
clearly and make a plan on how can you make it up later.

Here are some quick tips to help you give the gift of time.

•       Ask yourself, when was the last time you really spent quality time
together. If you can’t remember, you better make some time today!
•       Are the choices you’re currently making, causing harm or are they
beneficial to your relationship?
•       What are your priorities? Now and for the long-term?
•       And how do these priorities stack up vis-à-vis your spouse, your family?
•       How are you doing, in terms of giving time for yourself, your
spouse, your family? Are you doing enough? If not, what adjustments
can you make in your day to make it happen?
•       Make a list of activities that are a definite ‘no-no’ and those that
are ‘yes’.

Give the gift of time to enjoy a happier and long-lasting
relationship. Because once you’ve lost time, you can never get it
back. 

Harvey MacKay once said, “Time is free, but it's priceless. You
can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend
it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.”

So, what are you going to do with your time today? Tell us!