The way we manage our time investment is an expression of our priorities. There are so many things that we can each invest our time, money, effort, mental and physical energy into. Do you give conscious thought to your time investment? Take a step back and look at your day. Do you make choices that move you forward in life? Do you create opportunities to learn or expand your capabilities?

What is the value of one hour?

Have you ever thought about the opportunity cost of an hour? Sometimes, we all want to watch an episode of our favorite show. But there is an opportunity cost to the mindless activities that we choose. What if you spent that time reading, learning, or listening to a podcast, which are all things that are also enjoyable? A podcast or a book could add value to your life, your knowledge, and in the end, your ability to do your job well. Life will constantly give us the chance to choose between a dopamine-laced high, or self-investment. So often, the things that we say we don’t have time for are the very things that would help move our lives forward in the direction we want.

We can’t always have our foot on the gas. We need breaks and time to rest. If you break the word recreation apart, it becomes re-creation. In other words, recreation gives us a chance to re-create ourselves. This is an important part of time investment and self-investment as well.

Live consciously. 

Evaluate your choices. How do manage your time investment? Are you truly invested in yourself and your growth? Do you fall into the ease of mind numbing activities or do you reach for moments of enriching activities and content? Everyone benefits when we operate with a full tank. Self-investment is an investment that guarantees a return. We are in this together and we can do this together.

###