What Are You Really Doing With Your Time?
Our lives look a lot more alike than we think. It might seem like some people are living these wildly exciting lives, but when you look at the numbers, our routines look strikingly similar.
The American Time Use Survey (ATUS), run by the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, tracks how people in America actually spend their hours each day—on work, household tasks, leisure, and more.
Here’s what the data shows:
In every age group—20s, 30s, 40s, 50s—there are blocks of time dedicated to work (or school), household responsibilities, and personal care.
But one category stands out for how consistent it is: leisure and sports. Across almost every age bracket, people average 4 to 5+ hours a day on leisure activities.
Work hours may rise and fall, family needs may shift, and even health demands change, but that block of unstructured free time shows up in every stage of life.
So yes, the details shift. But the overlap is undeniable: we all have leisure time. And that’s where the opportunity lies.
If we all have 4–5 hours of leisure every day, what are you really doing with yours?
What 14 Minutes Can Do
Now imagine if you took just 1% of that leisure time and made it intentional. One percent of your day is 14.4 minutes. Even that tiny slice could help you grow.
And before you roll your eyes at the whole “1% better” talk, let’s put it in perspective. The top leisure activity in America? *Drum roll.*
Watching TV and video—2.6 hours a day on average.
If we can give more than two hours a day to screens, we can give 14 minutes to growth.
Let’s break it down:
If you spent 14 minutes reading every day and hit it 80% of the time, you’d finish 10–12 books in a year.
If you used that time to encourage someone every day, that’s over 200 encouragements in a year.
If you used it to reflect, journal, or practice a new skill, you’d build a consistent habit that reshapes your life.
Over a year, 14 minutes a day adds up to nearly 90 hours. That’s the equivalent of a college course or training for and running multiple marathons. What could you do with 90 hours?
It’s not about massive overhauls. It’s about small, mindful shifts that compound. Over time, that 1% becomes a steady force that changes your relationships, your mindset, and your actions.
Fifteen Minutes That Changed Everything
A habit that has completely changed my life is stretching for 10–15 minutes a day. For years, I made excuses. I knew I needed to stretch, but I never stuck with it. Then in 2019, I read Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. One of his running stories freaked me out enough to finally take stretching seriously.
I made myself a deal: I wouldn’t work out until I stretched. That one boundary shifted everything. I found a solid stretching routine and I’ve been consistent ever since. For over six years now, those 10-15 minutes a day have improved my workouts, increased my mobility, and saved me from injuries.
That’s what 15 minutes has done for me. Now imagine what 15 minutes could do for you.
And stretching is just one habit. Over time, small 15-minute choices like this have stacked into a morning routine that now fuels my entire day. It didn’t happen overnight. It started with 1%.
That’s the compounding power of time invested well.
The Choice Is Yours
Here’s what I know: growth doesn’t just happen. You have to own the process. You have to make the intentional choice every single day.
So what’s holding you back from giving 1%? We know the time is there. Now it’s up to you to be intentional with it.
Don’t waste the time you already have. 💯