Too often we come home after a long day at work and open the takeout food, then plop down on the couch and watch TV until it’s time for bed.

The next day, we do the same thing again.

While I have been known to indulge in this from time to time, there’s an issue with this lifestyle. You basically spend each day, trying to get through it. You’re just living for the weekend.

The weekend is never long enough, of course, and then it’s another week of the same.

The problem with this is that months — or years — can go by. That’s time you won’t get back.

It wouldn’t be so bad if you knew how long you had on this spinning rock called Earth. The truth is, we aren’t really sure. So I propose to you to make the most of it.

Spend some time learning something new, or creating something…or taking up a new hobby. There’s a thousand different things that you can do. You might even return to an existing hobby that you haven’t indulged in for a while.

You dont have to be a productivity guru or sell your television. Just get up off the couch and do something.

Write a blog post. Start a novel. Pick up a paintbrush and make art. It only costs you some time…and you were wasting it anyway.

The key to this is: don’t worry about whether or not it’s good enough. You don’t have to show it to anyone. The first draft of anything is never all that good anyway. You can always revise it later or learn from the mistakes that you made.

Just do it for the sake of the craft. You just might surprise yourself. You might even start learning a new skill, one that may get you out of your current job and into a new one.

The clock is ticking…

For some people, they feel that because they have a ton of ideas, they are doing something productive. Sadly, there are a million people with a million ideas. The difference between those million people and you is execution.

It’s not enough to have the idea, you have to do the work. If you want change, you have to put in the effort.

The other end of the spectrum is taking this advice too far. Remember that this is not your job. It’s your time to relax, to do something fun. Taken too far, you will stress yourself out even more.

Think about “The Soccer Mom Syndrome”. You spend so much time doing other activities that you don’t have any down time.

I’m suggesting a balance between your job and relaxation. Just…turn off the TV once in a while and go create something. You’ll be a lot happier.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

(Photo credit: Time for Change on Blackboard via Shutterstock)