Where did your time go?

“We’re tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers” – Seneca

“I just can’t find the time”.

“My schedule…”

“How are you?” “Busy.”

I know you’ve heard each of these countless times. Probably several times today. As we explored in a recent podcast, time seems to be the #1 reason people give for not being able to care for themselves.

But, is it actually a lack of time?

Somewhere today someone with a schedule busier than your’s is finding time to care for himself or herself.

So is it really a lack of time?

I’d like to suggest that self-care is not nearly as glorified as busy-ness. Steady, consistent habit formation is not nearly as glorified as a quick fix.

Coupled together, these social norms push our newest self-care habits to the back burner. Caring about what you eat, moving regularly, and engaging with your community are all difficult habits to cultivate. No wonder they’re the first habits we push off.

I like to imagine my time as my only non-renewable resource. At the end of my life, how I spent it is all I’ll have. None of the bosses, co-workers, acquaintances, or obligatory interactions will re-invest back into me. All I’ll have is the remainder of my health and the truly meaningful relationships I cultivated.