Time Affluence

A friend asked, "I know you're so busy, but would you weed for a couple hours at the town park?" When I learned that I would be weeding alone, I responded, "I'm not so busy, but I prefer to volunteer for group activities."

There. I said it. I spoke the unspeakable. "I'm not so busy."

In retirement we go from not having enough time to having an abundance of time. We go from time poverty to time affluence. And yet, instead of celebrating our newfound wealth, many of us hide behind a façade of being "so busy." It's hard to break free from the belief that busyness equates with value and significance. If we're not busy, are we still important? 

In the book Happier, Tal Ben-Shahar defines time affluence as "the feeling that one has sufficient time to pursue activities that are personally meaningful, to reflect, to engage in leisure." Compare this to time poverty, "the feeling that one is constantly stressed, rushed, overworked, and behind." Being time-rich is good for our health.

To make the most of your new prosperity, apply the AAAAA principles.

Admit that you have time.
Appreciate your new time affluence.
Avoid the pressure to fill up time with busyness.
Avail yourself to opportunities that come along because you're not too busy.
Acknowledge your significance, busy or not.

Copyright 2016 Patrice Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.