August is a funny month. Half of your friends are clinging to summer and desperately trying to get some time on (or in) the water before the weather changes; the other half are already buying pumpkin-scented candles and mapping out holiday logistics.
But I’ve found the older I get, the quicker the summer seems to fly by, and I start asking myself, “Where did the time go?”
As a woman in what many call the sandwich generation, time has become more and more precious to me. I want to spend quality time with loved ones. I want to make memories with my parents and my kids. And while I’m lucky that I have a job I love and find fulfilling, I know that it’s important to do an occasional check-in with myself to make sure I’m spending time where I want to.
And then the financial advisor in me asks the question: “What is my time actually worth?”
Nothing can open your eyes to the value of time like putting some actual numbers to the hours you spend doing something. As a parent, you might have had moments when your kids were younger and you had to get babysitters, where you asked yourself, “Was that movie we just saw really worth the $20/hour we just paid the sitter?”
So, what IS your time really worth? And are you getting your “money's worth” when you spend time on certain tasks?
Your Time Has Value - Not Just Emotionally, But Financially
Let’s get practical for a second. If you make $150,000 a year and work 40 hours a week, your time is technically worth about $72 an hour. That means every time you spend an hour wrestling with printer ink or searching for a lost Amazon return label, you’re giving away $72 worth of your time to a task that could’ve been automated, outsourced, or avoided entirely.
But here’s the thing - this isn’t just about money. It’s about bandwidth, burnout, and boundaries.
Start with a simple audit: Where are your hours actually going? Not the Instagram version of your life, but the real behind-the-scenes one. The “folding laundry at 10 p.m. while answering work emails” version. Grab a notebook (or open your notes app) and jot down how much time you spend each week on work, commuting, errands, caregiving, volunteering, planning, prepping, cleaning, coordinating, and yes, scrolling.
Now ask yourself a few pointed questions:
How much of this is energizing - and how much is just draining you dry?
Are you lit up by leading a new work project or driving your teen to soccer practice? Great. But if you’re spending three hours a week organizing snack rotations for a club you’re not even passionate about, it might be time to reassign that duty.
Which tasks could be handled by someone else, or skipped entirely?
Could your teenager handle their own laundry? Could you outsource grocery shopping? Could your partner take over managing your parents’ prescriptions once a week? Delegating doesn’t mean you’re dropping the ball. It means you’re choosing not to juggle every single one of them by yourself.
How often are you saying “yes” when your brain, body, and calendar are screaming “please, for the love of all things holy, NO”?
We’ve all been there. You say yes to one more committee, one more favor, one more quick call - and suddenly your Sunday afternoon has evaporated, and you’re starting Monday already depleted.
Here’s your red flag: If your weekends feel more exhausting than your workdays, something’s out of alignment.
The ROI of Saying “No”
Saying “no” might not show up as a line item on your income statement - but make no mistake, it’s one of the most underrated financial tools in your toolbox.
Think about it: every time you agree to something that drains your time, energy, or mental focus, you’re making a trade. You're investing a limited resource - you - into something that may not yield a return. And for women balancing careers, caregiving, and their own life goals, those trades add up quickly.
And if you need to, put a monetary amount on where you’re spending your time. Was that doom scrolling really worth the $72/hour you usually make doing other things? (I’m not judging – sometimes it is.)
Saying no to yet another unpaid committee, another networking coffee that leads nowhere, or another obligation you feel guilted into? That’s reclaiming time you can invest where it actually matters. That might look like:
- More billable hours or time to focus on a project that elevates your career.
- Energy to make smart financial decisions, like reviewing your estate plan, managing investments, or meeting with your advisor.
- Space to pursue personal growth, whether that’s a certification, a passion project, or simply catching your breath so you don’t burn out and blow up your long-term earning potential.
Saying “no” isn’t just about creating peace. It’s about protecting your biggest wealth-building asset: your time and decision-making power.
And let’s be honest - every “yes” to something unimportant is often a quiet “no” to something critical, like your own goals, rest, or health. So, the next time someone asks if you can “just help out” or take on one more thing, try evaluating it like any other financial opportunity:
- What’s the time cost?
- What’s the potential return?
- Does this align with my goals, or is it pulling me off course?
Mid-year is a great time to pause and reflect—not just on where your money’s going, but where your life is going. If you want to talk through ways to streamline your financial life, delegate decisions, or build more margin into your day, we’re here for that.
Because your time isn’t just valuable. It’s nonrenewable.