Time is the most valuable thing there is

On a regular day, I get up around 6:00 a.m. or just before. I drink some coffee and catch up on what’s happened in the world overnight while I go through the pile of emails. Around 8:00, it’s time to get ready and walk over to the office. It’s about a 1–2 minute walk.

At the office, people usually start arriving around 8:30 or 8:45, and then it’s six hours of work until 4:00 p.m., with an hour-long lunch break that I usually spend with our CEO, Maria, to talk things through at a more relaxed pace. I walk home and sit down with what I think of as “slack work”—things that maybe aren’t urgent but that I really enjoy. That could be side projects or things I’ve been wanting to dive into at Brath for a while. Then dinner with my girlfriend, and sleep at a reasonably decent hour.

My two morning hours are sacred—that’s when I get the most done. Lunch is also important, as it gives the leadership team a chance to talk without an agenda. Then there are the six hours of the actual workday. That’s when I do everything else. I keep an eye on the budget, attend all meetings with clients and partners, and involve myself in everything in the company. If someone wants a piece of my time, those six hours are when they can get it. And if I happen to have any time left over afterward, I’ll spend it on something other than the company. I’m willing to pay for my free time.

I always have the choice: instead of taking time off, I could be working for the company. That means every time I choose leisure, I’m essentially trading money for time off. That’s one reason I pay for cleaning services at home. The idea that I would stop doing my job to clean my house feels backwards. It’s much more profitable for me to do what I’m good at—SEO—than to vacuum. Better to let someone who runs a business around cleaning do what they do best, while I focus on what I do best. I don’t clean the office either—for the same reason: it’s better for me to spend that time on SEO.

So what’s my point?

I’d like to ask a few questions:
How do you value your free time?
Would you consider paying for help at home?
Could you work fewer hours?
Would your life improve if you worked six hours a day for full pay?
What would you do with the extra time?

If you’re thinking about these kinds of things, maybe it’s worth looking at some of the roles we’re currently hiring for.