In 2012 – cut out ANYONE who wastes YOUR TIME!

I’m starting to realize that time is the most valuable thing we have. Your time is yours and it’s up to you not to let anyone waste it. In the past, I have wasted a significant amount of MY valuable time on people who have disrespected it or treated it loosely. I have also wasted my time by investing it in people who are quite simply, a waste of time.

I started to make these changes towards the end of 2011. I began to be more strict about who I spent my time with. I cut out all “fair-weather friends”, those who were around only when times were good. I cut out people who were in a different stage in their lives than I am, those who are more concerned with being at the best parties, drinking at the most open bars and getting as drunk as possible, resulting in a two day hangover. These hangovers would leave me unable to get up early, be fresh and ready to get what I want out of my days and, ultimately my life. I cut out people who were unstable, who always had a problem or an issue and that was all we ever dwelled upon when we would meet. I cut out people who were unreliable, who left me waiting at places and never showed up when they said they would. I cut out people who could not make simple deadlines or keep their word. Essentially, I cut out 75% of the people I used to run with.

As you can imagine, cutting out all these people has resulted in much more time on my hands. The adjustment was difficult at first. I felt lonely at times. When I would normally call up a friend to hang out one evening, I would have fewer people at my disposal to turn to. The whole process was a Catch-22. I spent more evenings in and continue to do so. As a result, I am clear headed, healthy and productive. Where I would normally go out for 20 drinks with one person, I go to the gym, walk my dog, write, read and work. I have more money at my disposal and I feel more rested and adjusted.

When I do go out, I spend the time with good friends and people who I know care about me. This is time and money well spent. It’s all about balance. I cannot become a huge hermit because I think 75% of the people around me are dragging me down. I realize that hiding away and working until 11:30 or 12:00 every Friday and Saturday night is not really that smart. It is just about reevaluating how you spend your time. At the end of each day, I want to be able to say I spent that day the best way I could have.

On New Year’s Eve, rather than go and get wasted and crazy with a bunch of people I don’t know at a party like this:

I swung by a friend’s place around 10, rang in the New Year with 2 important people in my life and went home early. It was fantastic. I didn’t wake up with a hangover and I enjoyed the day lounging around watching HBO and sipping Pinot Grigio with Oscar.

My goal is to continue to live this way. It’s never easy to drop people who have played a significant role in your life. But if they are bringing nothing positive to your life, than there is really no harm in doing so. I know some people are going to read this and get upset thinking it’s about them. Not really my problem so I won’t waste time worrying about that.

Here’s to 2012 – Make sure to enjoy your time and spend it exactly the way you want every minute.