Convenience, simplicity, and making something easier are all outcomes of buying time. These are the common reasons people use to defend their attempts at saving time.
Where does buying time fail? It fails when we have no clarity around what we want to do with the extra time we now have found. Rushed through our day by the demands of others or our situation leaves us so drained. We never consider what would be best to do with the fifteen minutes we now have gained by going out to eat.
We do a slightly better job when we invest some of our time to save time in the future. When we consciously decide to clean our desk, garage, or closet. Frustrated by the minutes lost when not being able to find things. But again the question becomes, what then? What do you do with the extra time you now have in each subsequent day?
There is an interesting distinction between filling your life by consuming or creating. They are virtually opposites. When we consume something (TV, Netflix, Facebook for example) we are passive. There is no immersion of who we are in the immediate world around us. Going through our day, fighting fires, always interrupted by other people’s questions or needs, is another form of consumption. Where consuming other people’s agendas or needs leaves us little time for what is important to us.
Creating on the other hand demands our attention to engage with everything around us to make things different and hopefully better. Cleaning out your garage so that it is more organized and has less clutter. To write in a journal, for only your eyes to see about what you really question, doubt and believe. Spending time with your child to read a book so that they know more words. Going for a long walk so that you can feel your breath. Reading to learn a new skill. Planting a new flower to see how it does in the bright sunlight.
We deceptively convince ourselves that creating is only for musicians, sculptors, architects, and artists. What we miss is anything we choose to do that is new or different gives us the opportunity to create. Engaging and immersing ourselves in the outcome directly in some way. Much more possible when using the gift of time gained when buying it.
The trick is to find clarity in what to do with the extra fifteen minutes you gained the next time you buy time. Making things easier, when buying time, quickly fades becoming simply a blur within your busy day.
Much more valuable use of your bought time would be to decide what to create to make something around you better.