In our hurry-hurry world, the most popular phrases are, "We've got to get together sometime, but it seems that I'm always so busy." "Attend a neighborhood gathering? I just don't have the time!" "Visit with my neighbors or my family? I'm too busy to breathe." And so it goes.

The old saw that if you want something done you should give it to a busy person is as true today as it was when that phrase was first introduced in our vocabulary. It's amazing how many hours each week can be taken by people who barge unannounced into our lives with nonsensical topics to discuss or simply time-killing chatter.

All of us have the same amount of time. Productive people use their time wisely. The millionaire and hourly wage earner have exactly the same amount of time. The same is true for the top student and the one who flunks the course. Improper use of time, not lack of time, is the problem in most cases.

An August 17, 1994, USA TODAY article highlighted a study by Christopher Ruhm of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He disclosed that seniors who had worked up to 20 hours a week earned better grades than students who did not work. Even more impressive, six to nine years later the working students were earning 22% more than classmates who didn't work during their senior year. Ruhm observed that part-time jobs for seniors can ease their later transition into the work place. They improve students' knowledge of the job market, teach work place skills, build beneficial contacts and helps them manage their time more efficiently.

Yes, it's still true that the experience you gain and the habits you acquire early on benefit you throughout life. Think about it and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!