Because of its potential of return, money earned today is worth more than the same amount earned in the future. This is the time value of money.

We think hard before we spend our money. Thinking of the time value of money before making purchasing decisions might change where we put our money.

What about the time value of time? A famous proverb says time is money. An investment of time today should yield a return in the future.

You can’t earn time like you earn money. You can only spend it. Saving time is still spending time, just at a slower rate.

When you spend a day at work, what are you making? What value are you creating?

Thinking of the time value of time before we commit to a project might change whether or not we decide to say yes.

Thinking of the time value of time before we take a job, might change whether or not we say yes.

Thinking of the time value of time before we send an email, might change whether or not we click send.

The question then becomes: what are you doing today to create more value for tomorrow?

If the answer is, “nothing,” then do something else.