We all have the same number of minutes each day at our disposal; nobody is richer than another in time. But how do you make the most of this finite resource? Different people have different approaches.
Some try to squeeze in as many activities as possible into their schedule. They stay busy, real busy. Others go the other way; they choose to do less. They intentionally focus their limited time on fewer things rather than spreading it thin over many. Instead of putting more things into their schedule, they put more of their schedule into the few things they care most about.
In both cases, there is a cost. Trying to do too much prevents you from giving extra time to select people or projects, even ones that are important to you. You’ve already committed all your time to something else. You may also find it difficult to give your attention fully to what’s in front of you because you’re always in a hurry to whatever’s next.
Choosing to slow down and do less also comes at a cost. You’ll miss out on some things that others are doing. It also means saying no sometimes; a word that can be hard to say. But doing so frees up time to say yes to the people and pursuits you care most about. You’re able to do this because you’ve left some margin in your schedule and your life.
The limited nature of time means there will always be an opportunity cost related to how you choose to use it. Saying yes to one thing means saying no to something else. The key is determining which things in life you really want to be saying yes to and then organizing your life accordingly.