How Do You Find the Time? - Passive Income MD

How Do You Find the Time?

August 22, 2017 • 4 Min Read

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I'm a busy person, just like everyone reading this is. I'm a full-time anesthesiologist, a father, and I am avidly pursuing multiple passive income ventures. Somewhere in there, I also like to write for this blog.

One question I often receive is simply, “How do you find the time?” My answer is just as simple, albeit a little unsatisfying for most people.

I just find the time.

There is a little method to my madness. I always try to sleep early so I can get work done while everyone is asleep in the morning, for example. And yes, there are definitely ways to be more productive – like being intentional about any downtime and making that time work for me.

However, I’ve come to realize that people ultimately make time for what’s important to them.

For example, I have a colleague who tells me that he’d love to learn about investing in real estate, but he just doesn’t have the time. However, he’s also the first one to ask me whether I’ve watched the latest episodes of Game of Thrones or House of Cards.

Now, a single season of one of these shows can add up to ten hours spent in front of the television. Multiply that by several seasons and you may have invested more than sixty total hours into a single show. That’s a lot of time that could be spent educating yourself on all sorts of things or in some way bettering yourself.

Trust me, this isn't a judgment on my part. I’m a big fan of these shows as well, and to be honest, I'm mostly caught up on them myself.

It’s just that when people say they don’t have time, it usually just means that it’s not a priority for them. When customer service asks me if I have time to answer a survey at the end of the phone call, and I hang up before taking the survey, it’s typically not because I'm so busy I can't spare 30 seconds. It’s simply not important to me. You know what I'm talking about.

At the end of the day, time is our most precious resource. Knowing this, I’ve made it a priority to learn about different ventures. That’s why you see me trying to finish several books on finance every single month, listening to multiple podcasts, and once in a while attending investor meetings.

I try to use my free time for my family (or for sleeping), but one way I “make” time for education or getting things done is to simply minimize my “dead time.”

 

Throughout my day, there are a lot of opportunities to multitask effectively. Time normally spent waiting or staring at the wall becomes time to be productive. For example, here are some ways I usually utilize my dead time:

1)    Listen to podcasts on my commute. That’s 4-6 hours a week.

2)    Read books or blogs while I’m in line for coffee. That’s a significant chunk of time, because lines are long and yes, I like my coffee.

3)    The bathroom. I’ll stop at details there.

4)    Read while waiting on hold on the phone.

5)    Instead of driving somewhere, sometimes I’ll take an Uber and read on the way.

6)    At all costs, avoid aimless YouTube death spirals (you know what I mean).

When it comes down to it, there doesn't need to be any excuses. If something is a priority for you, you can make it happen. That may mean cutting back on a certain mindless pleasures so that you can reach the goals you want to reach.

Ultimately, it's not about finding the time. It's about finding out what's worth your time.

So how do you find the time? How are you using your time to achieve your goals?

Disclaimer: The topic presented in this article is provided as general information and for educational purposes. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking action, consult with your team of professionals.

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