December 10th, 2021
I say, let no one rob me of a single day who isn't going to make a full return on the loss.
The authors of "The Daily Stoic" point out that people will spend more money when they use a credit card in lieu of pulling out the cash they worked so hard for. The credit card companies know this psychological truth. This is part of their 'modus operandi'.
We do something similar with our time when we use it freely without thought about mortality. For someone who does not like to make plans outside of work (that's me), this is a new way of thinking. It makes perfect sense. A harsh reminder. Before the start of each day, we need to recognize that we are mortal. We can be taken from this world at any moment. After acknowledging this reality, we can plan our day accordingly. Make good use of our time. This doesn't mean our entire day has to be planned out to the minute. Merely this is a simple way to minimize wasting our time on something unworthy.
"The Daily Stoic" give a modern twist to Seneca's words, stating they are the equivalent of "cutting up our credit cards and switching to cash". My goal is to put this plan into action. I need to utilize my personal journal as a tool for the day. Part of that is doing a better job of scheduling my days off. When I look at how I am spending my time, my first question should be "Is this worth my time? Am I getting a fair return on my time?"