We've all heard older people preach about the value of time and what they would trade to be in their 20s again.
Most of the days we feel like we've wasted our time are those in which we don’t prioritize correctly, diverting our attention to less important tasks and mindlessly scrolling through social media. We are optimistic about what we will be able to achieve later in the day, but when we get ready to sleep, we dwell on not having accomplished those things. We are too optimistic with our time.
We are told to be optimistic, and with good reason. A bias towards action maximizes the notion of "fail fast, learn quicker." Optimism expands our luck surface area; after all, why would you even try if there wasn't a slight chance of success?
But there is the reverse side of choosing the correct battles. Each battle we choose means another one we must say no to—the opportunity cost. Saying “no, thank you” is a thoughtful art of choosing what we want to dedicate our time and attention to.