What are you trading your time for?
June 10, 2024
This past weekend I had a thought-provoking conversation with my husband that I felt compelled to share with you. I had seen a clip where a young adult was asked a question that was about being given something like 10 million dollars. In this clip the, the twist was would you accept the money if it meant you wouldn’t wake up the next day. His response quickly went to “no” clearly.. as what good is any dollar amount if you are not here to enjoy it… Not like you can take it with you. This prompted a conversation with my husband and we discussed a question that often goes unexamined in the fast-paced lives so many live:
What are you exchanging your time for?
Throughout our lives from a very young age, we are encouraged to work tirelessly towards our goals, often chasing one milestone after another without taking a moment to appreciate, reflect, or even enjoy the accomplishments we have already achieved along the way. For those of us with unmatched work ethics (like many high achievers) 9, 10, even 12-hour workdays are very much the norm.
But let’s break it down for a moment.
If we are aiming to get the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep each night to be and feel our best, that leaves us with just a few precious hours each day. Four hours a day, five to six days a week, to come home, decompress, spend quality time with family and enjoy life.
Out of the 168 hours in a week, sleeping for 8 hours each night, leaves us with 112 hours for everything else INCLUDING YOUR WORK WEEK.
So..when you're working those 60+ hour weeks, what exactly are you exchanging your time for? Time.. the most precious commodity in existence. Is the work you doing filled with purpose? Is there a sense of reward and passion in those hours working or is it simply a punching the clock for a check?
We hear people say they’re working hard now to enjoy freedoms later. And let me first say that I fully support the “work hard, play hard” mentality. In no way am I suggesting that working is the problem or that bills shouldn’t get paid.. let’s face it we must earn money to survive and even thrive. What I AM encouraging.. is a real awareness of how and what you are exchanging your time for.
Consider this, We can be so meticulous about how we invest our money. We analyze potential investments, ensuring they will yield a return we feel comfortable with and consider positive. We wouldn’t dream of pouring our hard-earned money into something that offers little to no satisfaction or reward. Yet, many of us do just that with our time for so much of our life. We spend our days at jobs that bring us little joy, driven solely by the need for a paycheck. We come home stressed and exhausted, bringing that same drained energy to our families, which in turn detracts from the quality time we have with them.
Think about the short years when your children are young and growing, the moments spent making memories with your spouse, and the experiences that truly enrich your life. These moments are irreplaceable.
Make sure that as you work tirelessly towards your goals, the sacrifices you are making are worth it and are not just an exchange of time. Otherwise, the investment of your time might leave you feeling a bit lost and unfulfilled.
Our time, much like our money, should be invested wisely. It should go into endeavors that not only secure our future but also bring us joy and satisfaction in the present. Reflect on your daily routine and assess whether your current investment of time aligns with your long-term fulfillment and happiness.
Take a moment to consider this. Are you trading your most valuable asset for something that truly enriches your life, or are you caught in a cycle that leaves you feeling empty? It's essential to strike a balance, ensuring that our relentless pursuit of goals does not rob us from the joy of living.
