Hi, this is Monique Rhodes. Welcome to the In Your Right Mind Podcast, where we're learning how to be happier by working with our minds.
If you'd like to know more about what I teach, come to iintendtobehappy.com - you’ll find a lot of helpful information there.
The Illusion of More Time
In our Happiness Club Happy Hour, we had a fascinating conversation about time.
So many of us are chasing life hacks to save time—listening to podcasts at double speed, brushing our teeth in the shower, prepping meals, or even dressing like Steve Jobs to avoid decision fatigue.
These tricks are clever.
But they lead to a deeper question most people never ask:
What are we doing with the time we save?
The Real Cost of Wasted Time
One of my students shared that she’s incredibly organized. Her days are optimized—everything scheduled to the minute.
But still, she spends two hours a day on YouTube.
When we looked at why, she said she was searching for hope and inspiration.
But after watching, she often felt anxious and overstimulated—not uplifted.
We did the math.
That’s 720 hours a year.
One entire year of her life, every decade—gone.
And it wasn’t even giving her what she truly needed.
Time Is an Investment
This is the part we often miss.
Our time is just like our money.
It compounds.
If you invest $20 and earn interest on it, over time that grows.
But the same happens with our minutes.
When we invest our time in things that grow us—reading, learning, connecting, resting—we see a return.
We become calmer. Clearer. More fulfilled.
And the people we interact with feel that too.
Every Moment Is a Choice
We get to ask ourselves, each day:
Am I squandering this moment?
Or am I investing in something meaningful?
Last night, for example, I was tired and not feeling well—so I watched a show for three hours.
It was the right choice. It helped me rest.
Tonight, I’ll go to trivia night with friends—because connection will lift me even more.
Both are valid.
It’s about intention.
The Compound Effect of Time Well Spent
You might have 20 years left.
What if two of those years are spent scrolling endlessly online?
What if you took just one week and invested that time differently?
The shift would be extraordinary.
And the more you invest in yourself, the greater the return.
You become a light in the world.
Be Thoughtful With Your Time
You only get so much of it.
And how you use it shapes everything—your energy, your joy, your relationships, your legacy.
So be mindful.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want to feel?
- What kind of life do I want to live?
- Then choose the activities that feed that.
I hope this has been helpful.
Your time is precious. Use it in a way that honors who you are and who you want to become.
As always, be kind.
Take care.
Go gently in the world.
