Capital is an interesting word as it can have such diverse meanings. It can mean the main location, such as the capital of a state. It can mean uppercase letters. It can mean money, finances, or resources. We don’t often think of time as capital, but time is definitely one of our resources.
Time is a finite resource. We cannot add any additional time to our day. We each have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. How we utilize our time is a key component to the type of life we live and the satisfaction we feel.
Prior to the pandemic, how we spent our time was going about “business as usual” at home and at work. According to a Psychology Today article, the following statistics were found from a 2017 U.S. Census. Every day, single people spend an average of 52 minutes more on educational activities than married people do. Single people spend 43 minutes more per day on sleeping and personal care. Every day, married people spend an average of 41 minutes more on household activities than single people do. Married people spend an average of 38 minutes more per day working.
Now, during Covid, those statistics have changed. For some who have been furloughed or lost their jobs, regardless of married or single, they have had to, and may still be trying to, decide what to do with their time. For those who never worked from home, they are trying to balance work and home life, especially those who have school-age children at home who are now navigating hybrid or totally online school.
How we choose to spend our time does have a cost. If we spend it frivolously, it could cost us quite a bit. If we spend it wisely, we could have the quality of life we desire.
The world circumstances have certainly altered our “business as usual” but we still have the responsibility of how we choose to spend our time. Don’t delay in making the most of every day. If you need to find a job, spend your time searching online and networking with others. If you find you have down-time take an online class, dig into that home project you’ve been putting off, read books that entertain and books that will help you grow, call a friend. There are so many positive, forward-focused things you can do with your time.
I work from home running my coaching calls via Zoom. Sometimes at the end of the day, I need to have time away from the screen so I work on a jigsaw puzzle. It is fun and relaxing for me (not at all for my husband!!). Also, I have chosen to invest my time in taking a lot of training this year adding certifications and expanding my knowledge base to help my clients. These are just a couple of ways I have spent my time.
I would love to hear… How do you or have you spent your time?
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