Most people undervalue their freely available time
Time is finite and even though we all know that deep down, we still waist so much of it – be it arguing and ruminating about unimportant things, watching uninteresting things and reading empty, trashy content.
There are some tools to visualize or reframe the available time and how important it is. Be it in the context of work (80,000 Hours: How to make a difference with your career) or personal life (The Time You Have (In JellyBeans) - YouTube).
After we subtract the time that we have to spend on some things like sleeping, eating, pooping and more, there is actually very little left.
Comparison of Daily Life Activities – USA vs. EU
| Activity | USA | EU |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeping | ~8,477 days (≈ 8.0 h/day) | ~11,050 days (≈ 8.82 h/day) |
| Eating, drinking, personal care | ~1,635 days (≈ 1.5 h/day) | ~3,410 days (≈ 2.7 h/day, includes personal care) |
| Working (paid) | ~3,202 days (≈ 2.9 h/day, full lifespan avg) | ~3,610 days (≈ 2.88 h/day, population average) |
| Commuting/traveling | ~1,099 days (≈ 1.0 h/day) | ~1,550 days (≈ 1.25 h/day) |
| Watching television | ~2,676 days (≈ 2.4 h/day) | Included in leisure & social time |
| Household chores, shopping, maintenance | ~1,576 days (≈ 1.4 h/day) | ~3,610 days (≈ 2.88 h/day, includes unpaid care work) |
| Bathing, grooming, bathroom-related | ~671 days (≈ 0.6 h/day) | Included in 2.7 h/day "meals and personal care" |
| Caring for others (family, friends) | ~564 days (≈ 0.5 h/day) | Included in unpaid household care |
| Community activities | ~720 days (≈ 0.6 h/day) | ~620–880 days (≈ 0.5–0.7 h/day) |
| Free/personal time | ~2,770 days (≈ 2.5 h/day, <10% of lifespan) | ~7,160 days (≈ 5.72 h/day, ≈ 24% of lifespan) |
| Leisure, hobbies, relationships | Included in free time | Included in leisure & social time (≈ 5.72 h/day) |