The art of never saying no

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

When we talk about the idea of ‘time affluence’, we’re thinking of time as money. We talk about spending, saving and wasting time, as if it is something that we own.

I instinctively recoil at this, because it makes me think of the lunch-is-for-wimps attitude of a banker on the verge of burnout. But thinking of time in this way can sometimes be helpful.

For example, I like to think of ‘investing’ my time, rather than ‘spending’ it.
Time with friends is an investment in your relationships. Messing around with your kids is an investment in your family. Even doing nothing, or having a bath or going for a walk, is an investment in your general wellbeing. All of this helps me feel good about spending time in ways I might previously have considered a ‘waste’ of time.

Some things are a waste of your time, depending on what’s important to you. For instance, some people find scrolling t…