Busy or Full? A Reflection on Time, Money, and the Choices We Make

The other day, I nearly skipped a monthly peer group call, planning to catch the recording later. But at the last minute, I decided to jump on. I’m so glad I did.

The conversation centered around how we use our time. More specifically, the difference between living a busy life versus a full one. The host and guest speaker talked about the power of being granular—getting really specific about what’s meaningful to us.

It’s the difference between “spending time with family” and “walking down to the village together for a coffee, or catching a movie at the local cinema, followed by a glass of wine.” When we get specific, the trade-offs are clearer. It’s easier to make time for what actually fills us up—like an art class or a fun dance class—compared to something vague like “creative time” or “time to exercise.”

This came at the perfect moment for me, as I’ve been reassessing how I spend my time; what supports me, and what doesn’t. The same applies to our businesses. As one speaker on the call put it: “Every meeting, project, and client needs to earn their place.” It might sound a little harsh, but it’s true if we want to do our best work.

Later that day, in one of those funny little coincidences, I finally made it back to a writing class I hadn’t attended in months. The theme? Choices.

Two conversations, just hours apart, both circling the same idea:
Our choices and their impact.
How we spend our time.
What we say yes to.
What we let go.

Naturally, that got me thinking about money choices too.

If we swap out “time” with “money,” the same question applies:
Does this thing, activity, or pursuit deserve the money I’m putting toward it?

Sometimes the answer is clear. Like when savings goals get met (or don’t). But it shows up in the small stuff too.

Recently, I’d been eyeing a particular bag for a while but kept putting it off. Meanwhile, I made a few smaller purchases; like a $59 vest and a couple of other things I can’t even really remember now. Nothing major, nothing planned. But together, they added up to the same cost as the bag I’d been “thinking about.”

That’s just one example. But just like we can fritter away time on things that don’t belong on our calendars, we can do the same with money; spending on things that don’t really matter, or that we could easily do without.

The host of the call talked about zeroing out the calendar, kind of like zero-based budgeting. Taking everything off, and asking what actually deserves to be added back in.

It reminded me of those allergy tests, where you pare your diet down to the essentials, then gradually add things back to see the impact. And, at the same time, notice what you do—or don’t—miss.

Questions That Help Me Reassess

As I’ve been paying more attention, a few questions have helped me figure out what’s worth keeping and what’s just filling space.

🔹 Do I feel lighter, happier, or more drained after it’s done or spent?
Sometimes our bodies answer before our brains do.

🔹 Is this something I’ve done or bought before—and did it actually add to my life, or just fill a moment?

🔹 Does this bring me closer to the kind of life I want to build—or pull me away from it?
Even small things can move us in the right (or wrong) direction.

🔹 Would I still choose this if no one else noticed or commented on it?
A quick gut check on motivation.

🔹 Do I really want it?
Action—or inaction—can be a clarifying clue. Like that bag I still haven’t bought. Maybe it’s just not compelling enough.

🔹 If I had a blank calendar or a clean bank statement—would this still make the list?
That one’s been surprisingly clarifying.

🔹 If I’m looking back in one year’s time, which use of time or money will I most appreciate?
A small shift in perspective can make a big difference.

I don’t always get it right. But asking these helps me pause long enough to make more intentional choices.
And even a small shift in perspective can make a big difference.

💬 What’s something you’ve cut recently that made space for something better?