5 Reasons Why That WAS Worth Your Time
Have you ever attended an event, gone somewhere, or spent time on something and afterward regretted going or doing it because you thought it was a waste of your time? Is that frustrating you? Well, I’m here to let you know how you can reflect that perhaps it was worth your time.
Disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive list, so don’t solely rely on it. Also How to Stop Overthinking Everything may be helpful.
Some related tips:
- 3 Tips for a Good Work-Life Balance
- 11 Ways to Get Motivated
- 7 Things to Take Advantage of that’s FREE in College
1. You Met Someone
Even if you got nothing out of it other than meeting a singular person, it was worth your time. One of the most important things, arguably the most important thing in life is relationships. Therefore, making connections is highly important.
I can’t count the amount events or workshops I’ve been to where the actual topic/goal of it was not executed properly or didn’t teach me anything, but what I did get out of it was meeting new interesting people that I learned from and now have in my network.
Maybe you didn’t even really learn anything from that person/people but you created an impact on them. Leaving your mark is just as important. In fact, some people say, that who knows you is more important than who you know.
Perhaps it’s not even that professional, maybe you simply made a friend. A friend is more valuable than that hour you think was a waste of time… you get the point.
2. You Learned Something
If you learned even just one thing, it was worth your time. You grew. You expanded your knowledge. You absorbed more of what the world has to offer. Not to be cliche, but people do say “Knowledge is power”. If you need that to justify the time spent, take it.
Otherwise, just notice how what you learned maybe is already impacting how you think, your engagement in that topic, contributions, and so much more depending on what you learned. Even small information here and there builds up.
3. You Created Memories/Stories
Was it an overall bad experience? Is that why you felt it was a waste of time? Well, now you’ve got a good family dinner or date story. Now you and your friends or family can laugh about the story and reminisce someday.
Don’t we all love that aunt or uncle that always has those interesting stories? This is making you a more interesting person who has stories to tell and memories to charish.
4. You Contributed to Relationships
Did you simply spend this time because you supported your friend or someone wanted you to? Even though maybe you weren’t interested or felt you had something better to do.
Well by doing this you strengthened that relationship with the person. Most people will recognize that effort/time you put in, especially if it was important to THEM – in turn making them feel closer to you. Perhaps this will be returned to you in some way or another in the future – directly or indirectly – even if just in the form of a closer friend (which as we’ve mentioned is invaluable).
5. The Alternative
Be honest – what would the alternative have been? If it’s scrolling on Tik Tok, watching Netflix, or some other form of this kind of entertainment, consider the activity may have brought a more real-life experience.
This is difficult to analyze without knowing the particular scenario, but truly reflect on what you would have done otherwise. Yes, maybe it was doing more work, being productive, or sending emails. But sometimes that can be done at a different time, and not miss whatever this activity is.
Another Perspective
Sometimes we just have to admit that we can’t be efficient human beings 100% of the time, and expectations aren’t always fully met.
What you can do is not dwell on the time that has already passed, instead learn from it and reflect on how you can improve your decisions for the future.
We can also take an optimistic view and acknowledge that there is usually something there that signifies that it wasn’t a complete waste of your time.3 exercises ‘to stop overthinking’.
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