What is our greatest asset?

Over the years I guess for some our thoughts on this change, I know mine have.

As a teenager or young adult if someone had told me my greatest and most valuable asset was time I would have probably laughed, however today I absolute know that time is just that.

In todays, busy, modern world technology and systems are supposed to help to help to give us time back, in many cases recently I have found this to be the opposite. Here is an example:

Two weeks ago I accompanied my dad to the bank to open up a new account, we actually did manage to speak to a lovely young man with who we had booked a meeting, but following forty five minutes talking to my dad about his requirements he was told, ‘ok that sounds like what we are looking for, can we open that account?’ the answer ‘oh no you can’t do that here, you have to ring up or do it on line!’, honestly you couldn’t make it up, my answer ‘no wonder banks are closing’, I was aghast.

Now you may wonder what that has to do with time; well having spent forty five minutes in the bank we went home and I took time to call the number we were given, thirty minutes into the hold music a nice gentleman answered and said ‘ sorry we can’t offer you that service today as we are too busy, however we can call back within forty eight hours’, he obviously thought we were going to sit by the phone all weekend, the other options call back next week or do it on line (my parents don’t do on-line banking so this was out). At present with the travel we have spent over 90 minutes of time just trying to open an account and we are still counting as we have to try again tomorrow.

Now, all this has happened in a world where modern systems are supposed to give us time back! In the good old days, the bank manager would have met with you, signed up to the service you wanted and it all would have been done in probably less than an hour.

I count myself lucky in that I can afford the time to spend sorting through the tumbleweeds of modern ‘not time saving’ services however there are many out there who don’t have that luxury.

Recently I wore a t-shirt with the words, ‘stop and watch the flowers grow’, it got many comments as it acted as a reminder that all of us should have the time to do just that. As I say time has become more valuable as I get older. I now value every single moment I spend with my family and friends, over and above everything I make sure that make time to cherish the time we have in each other’s company whatever we may be doing with it.

Looking back, I cherish the times I spent with my parents going on holidays, going shopping, visiting relatives or restaurants, due to their age our time is spent together is a little different these days however to me every moment is still a valuable use of my time.

I urge everyone I meet to enjoy the time they have with others, have fun, embrace every moment and know it is the one asset which over time reaps rewards with the memories it creates.

P.S – this goes to all organisations, ‘please stop taking our most valuable asset, our time and abusing it with your bureaucracy and time taking systems, Thank you!’