Don't waste time, because that's "the stuff life is made of."
It was good advice when Benjamin Franklin said it, and it's good advice now, no matter your age.
But your 20s are a particularly crucial time in life. Many call these the "formative" years, and the habits you form can carry you through the rest of your life.
So what's the best way to spend this time?
We sifted through a number of Quora threads and TED talks to find out.
Work on important life skills.
There are a number of life skills people need to master, and your 20s is the time to start practicing. Without the pressure of parents or school to motivate you, you'll need to exercise discipline and motivate yourself to learn the essentials.
These skills can range from patience and dealing with rejection to living within your means and good table manners.
Ask yourself daily questions.
Benjamin Franklin began and ended each day with a question: "What good shall I do this day?" in the morning, and "What good have I done this day?" in the evening.
In fact, many great thinkers embraced the idea of constantly questioning things.
As Albert Einstein reportedly said, "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning."
Of course, getting into the habit of self-reflection is easier said than done, as we often prefer to avoid asking ourselves the tough questions. As philosopher and psychologist John Dewey explained in his 1910 book, "How We Think," reflective thinking involves overcoming our predisposition to accept things at face value and the willingness to endure mental unrest.
But enduring this discomfort is well worth the effort, as it can result in the confidence boost necessary to perform better in our work and daily lives.
Questions to ask yourself could include Steve Jobs' "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" or Quora user Michael Hopkins' "How are you doing?" and Quora user Soham Banerjee's"Why so serious?"
Read.
"There is nothing that will help you more than reading,"says Deepak Mehta.
He suggests a wide variety of books, from young-adult fiction and law to Dickens and Tzu, to learn more about contrasting viewpoints. "Do not be afraid of coming across a convincing viewpoint that is totally antithetical to yours," he says.
Reading is also a great way to exercise your mind, says Jereme Allison, because it activates almost all areas of it. "The mind is a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it," he says.
See the rest of the story at Tech Insider