Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-01-15
THE VALUE OF MINUTES.
Different Views Regarding the Interesting
Question Of Wasted Time.


constitutes q waste Of time. Severe
people consider every moment wasted
hal is not devoted to productive work
or necessary sleep or rest. They would
make of nan a mere machine, TO be fed
10 maintain ms energies. TO be allowed
To sleep 4 limited number of hours TO
prevent wearing out, but would have
him devote all his other hours to work
of some kind.
Other people. a little broaderin their
views, recognize the need of iuteliec-
tual culture and would permit Il GER
tain amount OF time TO be given TO
reading and study without countingit
a waste. The liberals recognize an.
other need Of humanity. and allow
some hours for recreation and amuse-
menL. But there may be waste of
time under any of these limitations,
and they may be to some extent VIC
lated without waste. Time is wasted
that does not produce benefit of some
kind 10 the individual, but the kinds
OF benefit 10 which he is susceptible
are SO many and the needs of different
men so various that there is an almost
infinite variety of ways in which time
may be usefully employed. The test
as 10 whether time is being wasted
must, therefore, be applied in individ-
ual cases, and the only question is
whether it is being beneticially EN-,
ployed.
That time devoted TO recreation or
amusement is not wasted is expressed
in the old proverb: "All work and no
play makes Jack a dull boy" A
cheerful disposition is such an impor.
tant factorin energetic work that 10 de-
prive a man of the enjoyments OF life
is TO curtail his working power. If,
however, a due proportion is not
maintained between work and play
there is a waste of time in the opposite
direction. Too much amusement pro,
notes a distaste for work.
The hours devoted TO reading and
study are beneficially employed, not
wasted, when the line Of study is such
as TO promote the welfare of the in.
dividual, but time may be wasted in
reading that which is of no benefit or
that which distracts ones thoughts
from necessary occupations. Time
may ven be wasted in productive
work if it should be Of a kind that de-
grades or that is less beneficial than
other available kinds Of work. But
by far the greatest waste of time comes
from want of method. 1t is constant
hour by hour, and like the constant
dropping OF water on a stone, produces
an effect apparently out of all proper.
ton TO the cause.
Every one has noticed that in a well
ordered household or shop every tool
has its place and work proceeds sys.
tematically, One thing is no sooner
done than anaher is ready at hand,
and the tools are always in order aud
ready TO be taken up. On the other
hand, in a ~disorderly household or
shop, working without method, there
are frequent interruptions or delays
while the question is being considered
what 10 do next, or while search is be-
ing made for tools that when found
have 10 be put in order before the main
work "a be begun. \ few minutes
out of an hour may be wasted in such
delays, but in the aggregate they
amount 10 a total that shows this To be
one OF the most common and almost
unnoted sources of the waste of time.
In large establishments employing
thousands of men the employer has to
look after The possible waste Of time,
by as many individualsas he employs,
and his prosperity or failure may turn
upon this simple question of a waste of
time. In such a case the loss by the
individual is So greatly multiplied that
IN a single day it may amount to
enough to offset the profits of close
business. This is the reason for the
attention given in manufacturing es.
adjustments 10 methods Of doing
work and for the strict rules govern
inc the admission and departure Of
workiugmen.
To thp individual it sometimes seems
unnecessary 10 close the doors at Z
o'clock and compel u man who is one
minute latHtD lose a quarter ui a day,
but a little calculation show, the ne.
crs.iiy rDr such q rule. II is not only
tIo individual who would lose time If
such ~. 81 did not CA!st. The whole
establishment would be d~euIoralized ii
they ",Tr not established aud GA
forced. Thousands az dollars worth Of
machinery would lie idle. along with
the "oI.:Wru, and II would be lmpos,i
Die ~ keen lIig work moving from de