In a world of consumerism and the packing of schedules with work and activities, people often use excuses like “I’m too busy,” or “I don’t really have money for that.” I understand that sometimes people’s work schedules are strange or money is tight, but life is all about priorities.

How many times have you used the excuse, “I’m sorry, I was just too busy to call you, Mom”? Or something like, “I can’t volunteer because my schedule is just packed full right now”?

Now, think of all the times you sat on the couch and watched TV, took an extra nap during the day or scrolled through Facebook for an hour. How much time did you use by doing that? Could you have called your mom for 10 minutes instead of watching a 45-minute episode of “Grey’s Anatomy?” Or how about giving $5 to that charity instead of going out to eat and buying that $10 alcoholic beverage?

I’m not saying that watching TV or going out to eat is bad. Don’t misconstrue this. But what you spend your time doing and what you spend your money on says a lot about your priorities.

If you work all the time and never have time for a family dinner that says something about what you’re prioritizing at the time. That doesn’t mean that you don’t love your family, it just means that in this season in your life, you need to work these hours to make yourself better. It doesn’t mean that in a different season, you won’t prioritize your family and cut back on hours when you are able to do that.

Another example that I hear a lot is how broke college kids are. Some college kids work during the semesters but spend money on food and alcohol. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying that when it comes time to pay bills or buy supplies for classes, they need to understand that you can’t have money for everything right now. That’s when you have to make a budget and prioritize your spending and realize what’s most important to you during this season.

I hear a lot of my family and friends get frustrated when their peers use these excuses, so I’ve adapted priorities as one of my life philosophies. If someone wants to spend time with you or spend money doing something with you or for you, they will. They’ll make the time and find the money if it’s something they want to do. There are extreme cases where money is really tight or work schedules are opposite, but this isn’t all the time.

This isn’t to say I’m not guilty of this either. I prioritize spending time with my boyfriend sometimes over calling my parents or doing schoolwork. I prioritize socializing more than making money during the semester. I know that I need to work on my own priorities, but that comes with time. We all need to understand what we are currently making time for and what we need to make time for, but it’s all up to you. You will make time for what you want to and that’s your own decision.