We all have our bag of rocks to carry. Some bags are heavier than others. We own different assets, have varying levels of education and intelligence and we have challenges that are dissimilar from others. But each of us owns exactly 24 hour every day, 168 hours per week. Subtract sleep hours (56 hours) and we're down to just 112 hours per week. No one has more. . . No one has less.

Time is totally perishable.

It's irreversible.

It's irreplaceable.

We can't store time;

We can't borrow it;

We can't lengthen it;

We can't even work hard to earn more.

About the only thing left for us to do with time is invest it wisely and hope to receive a high return on our investment. When we waste time, not only are we wasting money, but we're also, quite literally, wasting our lives.

So how do Americans spend this valuable resource?

Americans are spending 15-10 hours each week watching television. 8% watch television for over 5 hours each day. The top 4 activities of all Americans are:1. Watching Television

2. Reading

3. Socializing with friends and family

4. Shopping

Younger Americans (under 34) prefer these activities:1. Movies

2. Computers

3. Socializing

4. Health Clubs

5. Listening to Music

Are you like the average American? Do you invest your time wisely or do you spend your time recklessly?

Vic Marcus Muschiano tells us how we can better master our time with these 25 tips:

1. Plan every day in writing.

2. Increase preparation time to assure the job is done right the first time.

3. Do difficult tasks first to alleviate procrastination.

4. Be on time for all appointments and events.

5. Listen to motivational tapes while getting ready for work and driving.

6. Read material that's vital to your field daily.

7. Handle each piece of paper once.

8. Reduce non-vital telephone usage.

9. Reduce chitchat during work hours.

10. Eat well, get enough rest, and exercise.

11. Work on short-, medium-, and long-range goals every day.

12. Avoid time-wasting meetings; establish an agenda, stick to it, and control the duration.

13. Keep your work area neat.

14. Convert drawers to "in" and "out: baskets to avoid distractions and stress.

15. Keep a list of "accomplishments."

16. Use 15-30 minutes of quiet time daily for planning.

17. Avoid "prime time" lines at banks and supermarkets.

18. Learn to say "no" to anything that doesn't give you the highest return for your time investment.

19. Avoid wasting time, but use it constructively to read, plan, write, and so forth.

20. Don't try to change the unchangeable.

21. Limit television watching.

22. Enjoy what you're doing while you're doing it.

23. Relax and do nothing as a personal reward for accomplishing a goal.

24. Do whatever you decide is the most productive thing possible at every given moment.

25. Do it now! Be persistent! Don't give up! Be relentless! See your objective through to the end! Never quit!

Wasted time can never be recaptured. Has there been something you've always wanted to do, accomplish or complete but have "not had the time?"

You've got no one to blame but yourself. . . You're in control! I wanted to fly for years but found every excuse to avoid taking the first step. I was too busy, I had too many responsibilities, it cost too much money, I might fail. . .

A bar bet (no kidding!) forced me to take the first step and my life has never been the same since. Amazingly, I found the time and money and learned that flying really wasn't difficult, but FUN! I now spend more time with my family, enjoy experiences that would otherwise be impossible and I even figured out how to afford a new Cessna 206. We travel somewhere new virtually every weekend of the summer and escape to a warmer climate a couple of times during the winter. We visit family who live outside of a driving radius and stay connected with old friends. Of course, the kids don't know how lucky they are, but someday they'll appreciate it.

And how am I finding the time?

I rarely watch television.

I hate to shop and any shopping I must do is just a click away.

I plan everyday at the conclusion of the previous day.

I subscribe to an audio book club and spend my drive time learning something new

I grocery shop on Friday evenings when the stores are empty.

I bank and pay bills online.

I rise early when the house is quiet. . . The most productive time!

How will you look back at your life? Will you accomplish everything you hope to or will you have regrets about the way you spent your time? You can't get back the past, but you can start today making every day, every hour and every minute count!

Write down the things you want to accomplish, the relationships you wish to develop, the promises you want to keep and get started today. Each day is precious and you have just as much time each day as even the wealthiest man in the world.