How do you spend it? Do you have enough left over? Do you feel you have a good return on your investment? I speak here of the spending of time.
There are two blessings that many people fail to make the most of: good health and free time.
[Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, from Sahîh Bukhârî]
Reading this quote today triggered something inside me. I saw it while I was perusing somebody’s web page on a message board (a person who is completely unknown to me…)
Do you, like me, find yourself thinking, there are simply not enough hours in the day! ? Do you see so many people around you suffering from one illness or the other? If its not something like allergies or diabetes, then its either heart problems, cancer, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease…or things like insomnia or fatigue. Its as though we are surrounded by these mini-catastrophes. While ill health may be something we cannot really avoid, if we are living healthy and productive lifestyles (eating right, exercising, and working), how about the lack of free time? Do we really have to be so busy all the time? And are we really busy…or are we distracting ourselves from really living?
When I stop to think about the various things I do spend time on, I know I can totally do without at least half of those things. For example, blog hopping, reading the news, MSN chatting, message boards…those are all utilizations of my so-called “free time.” But is time really free? And if time isn’t really free, then shouldn’t I be doing better things?
What are better things you could be doing with your time? For me, its various and sundry things around the house: sewing, baking, babying my roses, reading Qur’an, reading more Islamic literature (from more authentic, real sources than what can be had online.) About six months ago, I almost completely eliminated the bother of reading the news. About 3 months ago, I reduced chatting on MSN to a few close friends, and only once every couple of weeks–otherwise, I simply do not sign in. And a couple weeks ago, to reduce the distractions that my favorite bloggers pose (you know who you are! 🙂 ), I deleted all blog bookmarks (no offense to any one you! )from my browsers, and put them into Bloglines. This way, I only visit blogs that Bloglines marks as updated, and just once a day…coz I am too lazy to log into Bloglines! Has this made a difference? You betcha! As soon as my thesis is over, I intend to keep my laptop shut down for 22 out of 24 hours. Inshallah! Because time is one of the free commodities that our Creator has given us–and if I am already feeling it slip away on nothing, I might just live to regret it. Also, being behind this box gives me very little to blog about! 😛
How could you value your time better? What are ways you can find so that you can stop saying I have no time, I am too busy? Inquiring minds wanna know! 🙂
Digital Niqabi 
I ‘occasionally ‘ remind myself that every second that passes, is a second gone of my life..never to come back again..never to be taken advantage of again…just like when i perform a prayer..i remind myself this is the ONLY time im going to get to perform this particular prayer..on this day at this time…
its been 5 years that i have been promising myself that i will start memorizing the quran….im still promising myself..
I think we waste alot of ‘time’ thinking …we should start acting..even if it was in the most insignificant manner…at least an act is taken..
i do not want to keep on saying many things that mean nothing…but u get what i mean right…:)
( allahuma ija’al lana omran taweelan fi ta’atik)
Allah may You grant us a long life of worshiping You -( lets hope thats grammatically correct.)
Noora, Ameen, thumma ameen! to the duaa: “Allah may You grant us a long life of worshiping You” and alhamdulillah, I think the niyah overcomes grammatical imperfections–but your grammar was perfect, so no worries! 🙂 Everything you said actually had a lot of meaning–I know I am certainly in the category of “doing a lot thinking and not as much acting” 😦 So, yes, I hear you! Thanks, dear! 🙂
I don’t spend my time very wisely. In fact usually every night when I reflect on the day..I wish I spent it better. Bloglines seems cool! I’ll need that 😀 Bottom line I think someone needs to take away my tv and computer. I remember one summer we had a blackout here for 3 days! so in those 3 days there was no source of technology..boy did the days seem long! but soon enough people were spending more time together since they didn’t have much choice. This made me realize how day-to-day things that are supposed to make our lives “easier” and keep us “connected” really don’t because one person maybe on the net, another on tv, another on the cellphone etc.
Maybe I should just live on a farm with my horses 😀
Ah, can I join you on the farm, Faith?
Nice post big sis. InshaAllah I’ll take heed. *looks around* 😳
Salaams
I use to say that I had no time but I figure that it is actually a case of good time management… I managed to do so many things yesterday Masyallah,travel all on public transport, did sales and all my solats within the stipulated time…
But I reckon that I do need to devote more time to our Creator….
Anyways.. Insyallah….Peace
Sure you can join me on my farm 😀
Faith, you know for me too, its the case of “technology” sapping it more of my time than it deserves. I have been wondering the last couple of weeks about what it would be like to live rurally!
Em, I think you really have something there. It really is about accounting for our time, and being more thoughtful about it. And asking ourselves at the end of the day, “What do I have to show for at the end of each task I tackled?” And hey, we all need to give more time back to our Creator! May Allah help us become more conscious and conscientious of Him, ameen!
alzubra, You and me both, babe! We’re both gonna take heed and join Faith on the farm. Oh Faith, Faith, look what a mess you have on yours hands now… 😯
Mess?? nahhhhhh the more the merrier! 😀 I just want my arabian horses…:P