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The Cyber Friend Dialog
The Power of Time
by Sunitichandra Mishra 

Hello Friends!

I am Sunit, your Cyber friend, back to you again this fortnight. I am so happy you like this column so much. Last fortnight, our theme was Equality of Boys and Girls and I’m glad that many children, youths and junior youths interacted so warmly on this theme and wrote to me expressing their views. This time our topic is TIME. So, come! Let’s know what we need to know about time because time is the only wealth that once wasted is never restored.

There is a wonderful story by Leo Tolstoy.

A certain king has three questions in his mind: Who are the right people? What is the right work? What is the right time? The answers that he gets in the end are as follows: The right people are those who are with you at the moment, the right work is to do good to them and the right time is now because only now is in our grasp.

Only the moment at hand is in our control. We cannot do anything in the past. We cannot do anything in the future. We can act only now, at present. This is the power of time.

People say, “time is money” but, no, time is million times costlier than money, otherwise why would Thomas Alva Edison have said that he would be willing to pay a thousand dollar if anyone in this world would sell him just 1 extra hour. We all know there are only 24 hours a day and the richest of the richest men on this earth cannot buy even 1 second more. This is the Power of Time.

Money can be stored because money is a material thing but time can’t be stored. You have to spend it or it will go away. As the proverb goes “time and tide wait for none.” So, the most important question is : “How to spend time”? How should we spend it that we take maximum advantage from each passing moment? What should we do? Should we not play? Should we not sing? Should we be involved only in studies? Should we avoid watching movie and television? No …. not at all. A child who has become a bookworm, having no time for games or recreation, cannot be said to be utilizing time perfectly because he has chosen to ignore his mental and physical development. In the same way, a child who is careless to his studies and is just given to passing away time in watching movies, playing in the street and gossiping with his friends, is actually neglecting his moral and intellectual development.

Spending Time in a way to gain maximum advantage means "Managing" Time.  This is known as Time Management. Do you ever feel like there's not enough time in the day? You've just realized it's time for bed, and you still haven't accomplished all you wanted?

Time management is an acquired skill. We need to learn and practice it. Rachel Paxton, a freelance writer, has advised children to do time management by dividing their main activities into basic categories such as homework, chores, recreation, social activities, etc. Once you have identified the main categories in which you need to spend your time, it is very important to set two things: 1. Priorities and 2. Amount of time. Priority means what to do first. Naturally, whatever is more important, should be on our priority. For example, homework is always a priority for any child. When you know this priority, set time. How much time is to be spent on doing homework? Suppose, your homework consumed 2 hours out of 8 hours after the school getting over and before bed time. So now you have only 6 hours in hand. Set another priority. Is it recreation? Watching a movie or a Cartoon channel? But there are some ‘chores’ activities, too, e.g. polishing your shoes, helping mother in cleaning the house, or other tit-bits. In addition, you may be needed for some social activities, e.g. attending a birthday party, going to see your friend who had met an accident, helping in the activities of the Eco-friendly Club of your neighborhood.

Only you can decide what to do first and what next and what amount of time to be spent in what activities.  Be honest and sincere and behave like a responsible child in setting your priorities and allocating time units.

Just know one thing in the end, as Rachel Paxton has warned, social activities are great, as long as they are in moderation. Don't spoil your time by going wherever and whenever you want. It is good to spend time with friends but it is better to spend time with your family members. Make social activities a privilege and not a waste of time. Spend time in more constructive ways like reading, writing, and using your imagination in other constructive ways. And remember what William Shakespeare said: “Those who waste time, time wastes them”.

Now, tell me what problems do you have in managing time, in fixing your priorities? Do you have you any question, any suggestion that might help others? Please write to me soon at editor@bolokids.com and write in the subject line “To My Cyber friend”. I will surely respond to your letter.

April 16, 2006

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