Time is a zero-sum game.

Time is finite, right? And because it’s finite, how we use our time is a zero-sum game. If I add something to my calendar, time is subtracted from that finite amount.

The other obvious but compelling point is that we all only have 24 hours in a day, but our time on this planet is also finite and mostly unknown.

This is why most people, especially those of us who are a little older, view time as our most precious asset. It is also the only asset I have that I’m constantly losing and unable to create more of.

So it makes good sense that we would use our time as wisely as possible. Now look, I’m not getting all carpe diem here, but I do advocate for mindfulness and reflection practices which enable us to be aware of our high-value activities and low-value activities.

And these are different for everyone, right?

High Value for me is time with my wife, family, and friends, being in nature with our dog Josie, and, of course, my work.

Low Value is mindless social media, email, resentments, and sitting in traffic.

Once I’m aware of what feeds me and what depletes me, I can be much more conscious about how I spend this finite amount of time that I have. 80/20 is a good rule of thumb for how much time I try to spend on high vs low-value activities.

So, as we end this year, it’s a good time to take stock of how you spend your time and think about how you’d like to make some shifts in the new year.