How do you choose to invest your time and energy? How do you divide your time among work, family, entertainment, exercise, and civic responsibilities? How do you invest your free time?

These are some questions I've been asking myself the last few months. Through some reading and personal reflection, I faced the fact that I was spending all my time working, exercising, and entertaining myself with friends and parties and not doing enough giving of myself to things that matter.

I found just by using a majority of my free time to entertain myself, that I was not being a good steward of my time and energy, a great gift and blessing in life.

So how do you fix things? I've learned that, as a creature of habit, my routines aren't easily changed, but can manifest growth with more gradual changes over time. That means I didn't jump into every volunteer activity known to man and over commit myself overnight, but I did select a few key volunteer opportunities and make some calculated smaller time commitments. I chose to donate my time at my church helping with the high school youth and giving a little more time to the social media and choir commitments I also have there. Additionally, I committed to helping organize events with my favorite professional group, the American Marketing Association. That also means I let a few parties and happy hours go. Sometimes I can't say yes to go out because of a volunteering commitment.

I started adjusting my schedule and giving my time, and much to my surprise I found I wasn't stressed or put out by these activities. Instead, I found they gave me far more in love and energy that I was physically able to give to them. I did not make the decisions to feel good about myself or gain something out of them. I only felt it was high time I started thinking of others a little bit more because the amount of useless entertainment I was engaging in was selfish.

Please consider if your entertainment is a little selfish. If it is, you have the power to control your decisions and actions to give a little more of yourself. It won't bite you! I hope my little lesson will encourage you to be a good steward of your time and energy too. You can!