Time Affluence

Time affluence is the feeling that we have sufficient time to pursue activities that are personally meaningful, to think, or simply for leisure.  Time poverty is instead the feeling that one is constantly stressed, rushed, overworked, and behind. We love to say we are busy as a way to let people know how important we are. But give it a second thought… lacking time to talk, socialize, exercise, play or love, doesn’t make you important, it makes you just unhappy.

When you find yourself excusing for not having time for a coffee with a colleague, not taking a break for a beer with a friend, or not spending enough time to play with your kids, the REAL message you’re sending to them is probably something like “My time is more important than yours” or “I’m not good at prioritizing my time” or “You are not a priority for me”, or “What you want to speak with me about isn’t a priority”.  I’m sure you probably don’t mean it, but that is still the not spoken message.

If some of this is happening to you, take this as an invitation to rethink your priorities ensuring you separate time for yourself and the people you love.

Time affluence is a much better predictor of happiness than material affluence.