Buy Back Your Time

The obvious way to buy back your time is to pay someone to do something for you. Pay the mechanic to change your oil or a dry cleaner to press your suit.

The less obvious way to buy back your time is to say no. Passing on a promotion might “buy” you more time with family. Declining the dinner invite might “pay” for the time you need to exercise. We buy back our time not only with the money we spend, but also with the opportunities we decline.

The more clearly you know how you want to spend your days, the easier it becomes to say no to the requests that steal your hours. - James Clear

I love this quote from James Clear. Sometimes I’ll see friends buying back time by taking an Uber instead of the Subway or eating out instead of cooking. But the most underrated way of buying back your time is saying no.