When I was about ten years old, my mother used to wake me up every morning at 5 a.m. I hated it so much. She would stand at my door, knock and say, “Ada, time waits for no one, wake up.” Back then, I didn’t understand what she meant. I used to grumble and tell her, “But I’m still sleepy, let me sleep small.” She would smile and say, “Sleep will always be there, but time will not wait for you.”
I remember one day, I had an assignment that I postponed. I told myself I would do it when I returned from playing with my friends. By the time I got home, I was so tired that I slept off without touching it. The next day at school, the teacher asked for the assignment, and I had nothing to show. I felt ashamed as I stood in front of the whole class. That day, my mother’s words made sense to me for the first time.
Now that I am older, I see how important time is. Time is like money, but even more important, because money lost can be gained again, but lost time never comes back. Sometimes, I wonder how some people can waste a whole day just lying in bed, scrolling through TikTok and Instagram reels, laughing at funny videos while their work piles up. I am not saying I don’t get tempted too.
I am not above the temptation ,but that childhood assignment memories always ring on my head whenever I want to waste time.
Honestly, I won’t lie and say I am perfect. Sometimes, I procrastinate too. Sometimes, I tell myself, “I will read that chapter later,” or “I will clean my room tomorrow.” But deep down, I know it’s wrong. Anytime I do this, I feel guilty. So I try my best to catch myself and do what I am supposed to do immediately.
In a day, I think 24 hours is enough if we plan it well. If you wake up early, you have more time than someone who wakes up by 10 a.m. For me, I wake up around 6 a.m. After my morning prayers and chores, I plan my day. I write down what I want to achieve for the day in my small notebook. It can be reading two chapters of a book, helping my mum at her shop, practicing my scrabble games, or exercising for thirty minutes.
After I finish my daily tasks, I reward myself by resting or watching a movie. Sometimes, I go out to see my friends or read a novel. I feel happy when I know I have done what I planned for the day. It makes my sleep sweeter at night because my mind is free.
There are many things I see as a waste of my time. One is gossiping. Some people can sit for hours talking about other people’s lives. I don’t have that time. Another thing is spending the whole day on social media without purpose. Social media can be good if you learn something new or connect with useful people, but spending hours laughing at silly videos is just a waste. I also think staying angry for too long is a waste of time. Some people keep malice for weeks or months. For me, I forgive fast because anger drains my energy and wastes my time.
I believe that everyone has 24 hours, but what makes the difference is how we use it. Some people are successful not because they are smarter but because they manage their time well. I want to be like that. I want to look back when I am older and be proud that I didn’t waste my youth doing things that didn’t add value to my life.
So if you ask me now if I am a procrastinator, I will say I am trying not to be. Every day, I remind myself that time waits for no one. I am learning to do things immediately, to plan my day, and to stay focused. I know I still have a long way to go, but I am better than I was before.
To everyone reading this, my advice is simple: Don’t waste your time. Plan it. Use it well. Rest when you need to, but don’t stay in your comfort zone forever. Remember what my mother told me , sleep will always be there, but time will not wait for you.