Mar. 28, 2010 - Modern Manners, Real Simple Magazine, April 2010

This article gives suggestions on how to deal with people who want too much of your time. The advice columnist calls them "Time Suckers" and makes them sound like leeches, sucking up your valuable free time. Although some people have hectic schedules, it is no reason to dismiss people who want to spend time with you. I still think it is important to make time for others. Perhaps, a friend needs support or just wants to spend quality time with you. Even though we are busy, if we do not make the time now, these friends will not be there for us in the future when we need them. What will happen when our children are grown and go out into the world to start their own lives? We'll need a friend to ask us out for lunch or to go to a movie together. If you see someone on the street and it's not a good time to talk, arrange to call each other at another time. If you don't have time for an extended visit, suggest a shorter get together; but, avoiding them entirely is not a healthy way of interacting socially. Since when should we be so choosy or stuck up to insinuate that we are the only ones who are busy or that our time is more valuable than anyone else's? So next time you decide to shun that "time sucker", think twice about the message you are sending. As the golden rule states, "Treat others the way you would like to be treated."