Time affluence is a measure of the amount of time that you are able to allocate to the projects, activities and relationships that make you happy.

Why do we forget this simple notion?

All of us have fallen for the trap of over investing generous, scarce personal time in pursuit of financial compensation, and there in nothing wrong with that… except that the marginal utility of another unit of earned currency decreases quickly after our basic needs are met.

As you well know, above a certain threshold more money per se does not make you happy. 

And if we give up pursuing our time affluence, we can really mess up our inner balance, regardless of how much financial wealth we can accumulate.

Unfortunately we were not brought up to have the sense that we should invest in time affluence. School curricula are overburdening children with work, leaving them with ever decreasing time to play, interact and above all create. 

But it turns out that investing in time affluence can actually make you much happier than you think.

Here are 4 simple reasons why time affluence will make you happier, and consequently financially more affluent too:

• Prioritizing based on time and quality of time helps you make wiser, more balanced investment choices, which are more likely to outperform.
• The more time affluent you are, the healthier your relationship with financial wealth is, because you understand at an deep inner level that you can enjoy your wealth, and hence the more resources you will naturally attract to yourself.
• People who prioritize time affluence focus on purpose, principles and happiness, not so much on revenue. Obviously they end up being more sensitive to the needs of Partners and Clients, which ultimately generates…. more revenue!
• Time affluent people tend to live longer, be happier and dedicate more of their lives into giving back to society, which brings them much higher levels of personal happiness and social integration over time.

So what can you do today to increase your time affluence? Here are 3 easy steps:

• Delegate fearlessly. The world worked perfectly fine before you came in, and it will continue working splendidly after you leave. Trust others and empower them whenever you can. They will be happy, you will be happy.
• Prioritize. Then prioritize again. And after doing so, prioritize once more.
• As you begin to feel gradually more time affluent, and hence more empowered, use your precious time purposefully towards what makes you happy and brings happiness to the world around you.

Enjoy your time, it is the scarcest resource at your disposal.

António Belo Santos

Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash