When you are in your 20s, it’s easy to feel invincible, like the world is yours for the taking and nothing can stop you. However, this is also a crucial time when mistakes can be made that have a long-lasting effect – especially if those mistakes prevent you from achieving your dreams.

It’s all too easy to look back upon these years with regret in our 30s or 40s and realize things might have been different had we done something differently earlier.

To help ensure you remain clear of regrets later in life, here are six key things to do in your 20s that will make all the difference.

1. Don’t Procrastinate

Procrastination won’t help you reach your goals and ambitions, nor will it benefit your life. The decisions you make in your 20s will have repercussions that can last until your 40s and beyond.

Diana Kiluu: I cook meals for people after graduating and tarmacking for years without job

If you don’t take the proper steps now, regret might come knocking on your door midway through the decade. Ensure your present sets up a better future for yourself, and do something productive with every day that passes.

2. Don’t Waste Your Time

Don’t let yourself waste time on things that will not benefit you. Instead, utilize this age to create solid foundations you can build later.

This means investing time into learning new skills, creating meaningful relationships, pursuing meaningful goals, and nourishing physical and mental wellness.

3. Avoid Late-night Partying and Excessive Visiting Clubs/pubs

Socializing and having a good time with friends is a part of life, particularly in your twenties and the prime of your youth. But for many people, partying every night and excessively visiting clubs/pubs can have dire consequences in the future.

How Co-op Foundation is impacting lives of youth through agriculture

These bad habits lead to physical and mental exhaustion, and they can also strain your finances and limit the number of things you can do later in life.

4. Spend Quality Time With Your Family and Friends

We often get so caught up in our work and lives that we forget to be present and enjoy the company of those who matter the most. Building meaningful relationships throughout life is essential for both emotional and mental health.

Taking the conscious effort to make space and spend time with your family and friends now will help to ensure when life’s unexpected twists and turns come about, you’ve nurtured those critical relationships beforehand.

5. Avoid Junk Food, Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs

Excessive use of these substances creates a substantial financial burden later on. It puts your health at serious risk. These activities may also lead to regret later if you feel you overindulged or spent too much time doing them instead of pursuing other goals.

Using entrepreneurship and working with the private sector, governments can end the unemployment crisis in Africa 

6. Focus on Your Career and Studies

Establish a career role you are passionate about and find ways to develop yourself professionally. Furthering your education or training can help you open even more doors, whether through online courses or continuing education programs.

You can also take advantage of internships and mentorship opportunities, which can give you invaluable experience and networking opportunities in your chosen field.

While you can’t always control what happens in your life, there are certain things you can do in your 20s to help set yourself up for a happy and prosperous future.

Following the tips above, you can avoid common regrets people have in their 30s and 40s and set yourself up for a bright future. So get out there and start living your best life.