You can make more money. You can clear more space. You can even find bursts of energy when you’re running on fumes. But time? Time’s the one currency you never get back.

And yet, we toss it around like confetti at a pity party.

For years, I was bleeding time from every angle. I ran three businesses—seven days a week, 5am to 11pm—telling myself it was just “a season.” But let’s be real: if your “season” lasts longer than the entire series run of Grey’s Anatomy, it’s not a season. It’s your life.

I spent time the way most of us do:
✨ Saying yes to things I didn’t really want to do
✨ Filling my calendar to feel productive
✨ Treating rest like a reward instead of a requirement

The more I gave my time away, the more I felt like I was chasing myself—exhausted, overextended, and secretly a little resentful. Not exactly the “girlboss” vibe the internet promised.

How You Spend Time Reveals What You Value

Here’s the hard truth: your calendar doesn’t lie.
You might say you value freedom, creativity, or connection—but if your days are jammed with Zooms, laundry, and mindless scrolling, you’re paying time toward something else.

And sometimes, that “something else” is other people’s expectations.

When we don’t know what we value, we start to outsource our priorities. We follow someone else’s morning routine, business blueprint, or family schedule because we think it’ll finally make us feel in control. But instead, we end up overbooked, undernourished, and wondering why we’re always running late to our own life.

Time Leaks: The Sneaky Ways You Overspend

Let’s name a few of the most common ways time quietly drains out the side:

• People-pleasing appointments you didn’t want to schedule
• “Quick” Instagram checks that turn into an hour of comparison
• Reworking tasks you already finished because they weren’t “perfect”
• Overcommitting because rest feels lazy (it’s not)
• Doing it all yourself because asking for help feels harder

Sound familiar? You’re not broken. You’re just out of alignment.

Reclaiming Time Starts with Values

The first thing I ask clients isn’t “What’s your time management strategy?” It’s “What actually matters to you right now?”

Because when your values are clear, your boundaries get a lot easier to hold.
When your values are clear, you start spending your time on purpose.

✨ You stop apologizing for needing space.
✨ You block off time to rest and don’t feel guilty about it.
✨ You finally say no without spiraling into shame.
✨ You realize being “productive” doesn’t mean being perpetually exhausted.

Let’s Do a Quick Time Audit

Here’s your reflection prompt for today:

👉 What are you spending time on that you secretly resent?
What would change if you gave yourself permission to stop?

Bonus points: Block off 2 hours this week for something that actually refills you—creativity, stillness, joy, movement, whatever. Not because you “earned it.” Because you deserve it.

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Want More Clarity Like This?

Download the Four Currencies Mini Audit to take stock of how you’re spending your time, energy, space, and money—and where to realign. Or come join us inside The Grove, where we do this work in community (with better playlists and zero hustle culture).

Missed the Intro to this series? Read it here.