Why time is the true wealth

The people I worked with in the past knew how I was a time freak. Every second felt valuable to me. I hate meetings that start late and end late. I dislike latecomers. I beat myself up whenever I show up late for an appointment.

This obsession with time stemmed from my childhood. My mom used to tell me, “You’re a time killer.” It’s because, back when I was a kid, I loved to daydream. I’m slow to do errands and react because I’m lost in the space of my thoughts, drifting to where my imagination leads me. But to my mother, every second is money, and we can’t waste it.

I especially hated those mornings when I had to wake up at 2 am to accompany my mother to the market. My mother used to scold me for being slow to get up and get dressed. But who can blame a ten-year-old for dressing up slowly when she’s barely awake?

Even so, her scolding made me value time.

I brought her mindset with me in my corporate routines

In a farming countryside, you can expect that most families are early risers and early sleepers. Back when I studied Accounting, I was used to waking up between 3 to 4 am to do my reviews. I brought the habit with me when I started working. In the early morning, I can focus more and do plenty of deep work. By lunchtime, I’m almost done with my to-dos, and I can delegate the rest of my afternoon to engaging with the team or meetings, guilt-free.

But in the past five years or so, I noticed my control of time slipping away from me. In the early months of my arrival in Belgium, I created a new routine. But, that new routine led to much later waking hours, not only because of the time zone difference but also because of the quality of life in a European city. There was less of a need to rush.

When I was still employed, I found myself waking up between 7 and 8 am, only to see it was still dark outside (during winter). But with the remote work set-up, I can do my morning routines in less than an hour (no travel involved) and go straight to the computer soon after.

My mindset back then? I no longer care if people don’t see me online or at the office at 7 am or after 6 pm. I had better things to do with my time than virtue-signaling to people that I'm a hard worker.

And guess what? That’s how I’m able to use all those after-office hours to build the foundation of my entrepreneurship. For example, during the early pandemic months, I learned to create a website (a project that took me at least a month), wrote a lot (on many different sites), and studied many potential business models that would increase my future income.

I hadn’t monetized anything yet when I was employed, but after leaving my job, I knew I was not starting from scratch.

My routines in the past two months (back in the Philippines) as a self-employed/entrepreneur

When I decided to switch to entrepreneurship, the biggest reward I got was the gift of time. Without the rigidity of the 9-6 job, or the expectation to be online at certain hours, I found myself like a chocaholic kid in a room full of Willy Wonka chocolate bars, except that these chocolates are time bars.

I thought I had developed enough discipline to protect myself from abusing all this freedom. But these days, I also suffer from a lack of focus and too many distractions (especially around family). I do miss the younger me who could sit still for hours and slave away at the laptop or a delicious book without talking to anyone.

If you plan to make it out on your own, here's some advice. Test your self-discipline first. Are you able to control time so that you can spend it in meaningful ways?

As for me, I’m thankful for the gift of time.

It allowed me to spend two meaningful months with my family early this year. I used to feel guilty for not having spent more time with them in the past. When I started working in Belgium, I spent more time with them during my trips back home compared to when I was working in Manila. It’s regrettable, isn’t it? All those times you lost due to quarrels and misunderstandings.

But there’s a trade-off, of course. I’ve lost momentum with my coaching business. I did fewer calls. I’ve only managed to attend a friend’s wedding, a homecoming, and a speaking event at my old school. And in the meantime, I’ve also opened a new product line in our food and beverage business—rice wholesaling.

Rice is a staple product in a farming country. You can’t go wrong with it. My mother did all the sales talk, my brother helped me with finding a rice supplier, and I did all the calculations. And voila! With the profits alone, I’m able to fund some family outings and extra expenses at home.

(By the way, are you also itching to try a business venture? Let me know what you struggle with the most before you can start and what are your biggest questions. Feel free to reply to this email in your own time. I read all the replies. ;))

Finally, there’s one thing I realize. It’s easy to stop caring when you’re already happy and filled. It’s easy to leave everything behind, live a simple life somewhere, and ignore all the troubles around you. And it also takes a certain mindset to do that. But with an inner purpose at the core of what you do, you’ll continue to move forward and face life’s storms, even if that means stepping out again of your usual comfort.

Who are you accountable to?

Before returning to Belgium, I joined an accountability group, and this group allowed me to regain some discipline. Being accountable to an external party other than yourself is one of the ways to achieve goals. It helps to have people around you who support you during struggles and cheer you up during losses.

The absence of them made me feel alone most of the time in my younger days. I didn’t even feel comfortable discussing my struggles with the family. (But that's slowly changing now.)

I guess that’s why, I felt strongly motivated to support others in their journey. Because I knew how it felt to do everything by yourself and not have someone listening and guiding you to the right path.

A few more updates...(Last ones, and join me in the excitement!)

I’m back in Belgium (with some unfinished business), and back in action. And here’s what’s keeping me busy now. You’ll see me at two upcoming events.

• I will be one of the panelists for the Professional Women International – Entrepreneurs Fair where I’ll share my insights on financial readiness before starting a business. Stay tuned via LinkedIn for more updates!

• Plus, I will also be a speaker in a career talk and networking event for Filipinos in STEM – Benelux. This event is virtual so if you’re a migrant professional who wants to bring your career to a new direction, you might want to join. In this webinar, I’ll share my 4-step method for a career change, even if you’re in a foreign country. Register here, and feel free to share it with your network!

And lastly, if you’re also a 90s kid and feeling nostalgic, you might find some inspiration from my latest essay “What Our Childhood Games Taught Us About Being a Woman”. Hoping this will inspire you to revisit your childhood and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Now, I have to get ready, because later, I’m traveling to the South of France to explore and do a personal pilgrimage. (Who knows, this might lead to another travel story down the line.)

For reading all the way here…

Merci beaucoup, a la prochaine! (Thanks a lot, and until next time!)

Tin here! Welcome to Busy Season Journals, a newsletter made especially for you by a fellow accountant/auditor, adventurer, and coach-guide. I write about my adventures as an accountant and auditor and everything in between. You get deeper insights and personal stories on how to shape a happy, meaningful journey.

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