The Lifelong Learner :: Do what you can, with what you have, where you are -Roosevelt ::

In America, everyone is pressed for time. We don’t have time to do anything. But did you know that you have over 225 (or more) hours per year to use?

It’s a simple rough calculation: 1/2 hrs * 2 (daily) * 5 (week) * 45 (roughly, yearly) = 225 hours.

If you are a typical worker, that is the amount of time you waste commuting to work. This figure could be a lot higher or a little lower, of course. That’s a lot of hours!

What do you do with these hours?

Did you know that you could put those hours “to use?” You could put those hours to your advantage.

You know where I’m going and how I’m thinking. I’m always trying to learn, and the amount of hours is just to great to go to waste. I use the majority of the time to listen to audiobooks. And I get them for free at my local library.

By not paying for the books is great, because if I don’t like a book or if it does not capture my tired mind, I dump it. I get another one.

But I don’t use all of my commute time to listen to audio tapes. I try to spend at least 10-15 minutes each way for quiet time — time with no music or other distractions. It allows me to relax and re-charge right after work. It allows me to be more creative. It’s a good way to think about different ideas. I let my mind think about anything it wants. I learned about this technique several months ago and have put it to use since then.

What are you doing with your hundreds of hours? Make them work for you. Use them to recharge and to learn!