The Value of Your Time and Energy

What is your time worth? Do you value the time you spend with friends and family or do you feel a sense of accomplishment after mowing the yard? There is a cost and a value to your time in many aspects of your life.

How you prioritize your time and money is different for everyone. Some people may find ironing gives them time to listen to the news in the morning, while others take it to the dry cleaner. Neither scenario is right or wrong, it’s just that one provides you with the value you are seeking.

Is it better to contribute a percentage of your paycheck to your 401(k) or maximize your net pay? Some consider the present value of money now and others see the investment as the better choice. It’s a personal choice based on your current and long-term goals.

I think an important factor of valuing your time is being conscious of what you do, when you do it and why. For instance, aren’t we all a little guilty of succumbing to social media? TikTok is notorious for robbing half an hour of my day, when I just wanted to watch the one video that popped into my Twitter feed. I obviously did not consider why I was wasting 30 minutes, but I valued the humor in the videos.

I also like to prioritize my time, which adds value for me. When it comes to emails, I prefer to look at and respond 4 times a day. I find this allows me to address the high priority emails first thing in the morning, check back before lunch, again after lunch, and finally about an hour or so before I head out for the evening. I understand this guidance does not work for all professions, but it seems like a good fit for me. I feel if the email were crucial, the email would probably have been a phone call or a person to person conversation.

In our daily lives, it can be difficult to figure out what value we place on our time. It just takes a little reflection to figure out what matters most to you.