For the past two months, I’ve been tracking my time—all of it. Each day, I start by projecting how I will intentionally spend each hour, then record what I actually did as the day unfolds. This exercise has led to many personal insights, but the biggest revelation is that our fundamental understanding of time is often wrong. We focus too much on to-dos rather than on time itself. We think about time like accountants, when we should be thinking like investors. 

Time: Our Most Valuable Resource 

Time is a strange and valuable resource—perhaps the most valuable we have. Unlike money, which is concrete and measurable, time is elusive. We experience time as a constant flow, and unlike money, we can't save it or control it. We can't increase or decrease time; it just keeps moving forward. Because of this, we often treat time as if it were infinite, even though we know it is finite. We can’t set aside extra time for later or go into debt to get more. We only have the time we have in each moment, and one day, it’s gone. 

The Challenge of Time Management 

Consider this: If you made a change today that would save you 30 hours over the next year, it would be hard to feel the benefit. Those hours would likely be spent on something else, hopefully more meaningful, but the gain wouldn't be immediately tangible. In contrast, saving $300 on a flight provides instant gratification—you can see the savings and choose how to use the money. 

This difficulty in perceiving gains or losses in time leads us to manage it poorly. As "time accountants," we focus on fitting everything in, optimizing efficiency, and minimizing wasted time. We feel guilty when we don’t use our time well, regretting what we did and didn’t do. This approach to time management is natural, given our experience of time, but it falls short in terms of meaning and impact. 

Shifting from Time Accounting to Time Investing 

There’s another way to manage our time: by thinking like investors. An investor considers their assets and asks how to achieve the greatest return. When we see time as an asset, we can approach each day asking, “What is the best use of this time that I have?” instead of “How can I get all this done?” 

This shift from time accounting to time investing changes everything. It moves us away from a mindset of scarcity—where we're always juggling priorities and trying to fit everything in—towards one of abundance, where we focus on what truly matters. By prioritizing meaningful and impactful activities, we move from merely managing tasks to making intentional choices about how to spend our time. 

Practical Time Management: A New Approach 

What does this look like in practice? Start your day not with a to-do list but with a "time investment" plan. List out each hour from when you wake up until you go to bed, and decide how you want to invest that time. For example, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, you might invest in a project or relationship; from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, you might have lunch and check emails. Tailor this to your personal and professional life. 

As a "time investor," ask yourself, "Where can I put my awareness, attention, and energy to make this moment meaningful and impactful?" This approach allows you to consciously choose how to spend your finite time. Some hours will still involve to-dos and tasks, but the difference is in choosing them deliberately, based on what matters most, rather than feeling like you're always racing against the clock. 

The Power of Using a Timer 

One practical tool to aid in time investment is the use of a timer. Setting a timer for specific tasks can help in several ways: 

Conclusion: From Have-Tos to Get-Tos 

By investing our time and using tools like timers, we move from being reactive to being proactive. Our focus shifts from "have-tos" to "get-tos." Instead of being ruled by endless to-do lists, we become architects of our own lives, searching for what brings the greatest fulfillment and joy. Each moment becomes an opportunity to invest in the present and the future, making our lives richer and more meaningful. 

Time management is not about squeezing more into each day but about investing our time wisely. If we do this consistently, using practical tools like timers, we not only become more productive but also more peaceful, knowing we’ve spent our time on what truly matters. 

- Steven, Monk Manual Founder