The wealthy don’t work more hours—they work on higher-leverage activities.
They’ve mastered the principle of buying back their time.
This strategy isn’t just about making more money.
It’s about creating space for freedom, creativity, and focused impact.
Let’s break it down.
1. Time Is Your Greatest Asset
Time is a non-renewable resource.
Once a day is gone, it’s gone forever.
You don’t get rich by saving money—you get rich by saving time.
That starts with treating every hour of your day as a high-value opportunity.
2. What’s Your Time Worth?
To figure out what you should and shouldn’t be doing, calculate your hourly value:
Annual Income ÷ 2,000 = Your Hourly Rate
Example:
$150,000 per year ÷ 2,000 hours = $75/hour
If you’re spending time on $15/hour tasks, you’re losing money.
3. Eliminate, Automate, Delegate
Once you know your value, eliminate or delegate anything beneath that threshold:
- Admin work
- Email management
- Errands
- Editing
- Cleaning
- Shopping
Use software, virtual assistants, or services to free your time.
4. Use the “Buyback Rate” Formula
Popularized by Dan Martell:
Buyback Rate = (Annual Income ÷ 2,000) × 0.25
This is the maximum hourly rate you should pay someone to take a task off your plate.
If the task can be outsourced below this number—do it.
5. Reinvest the Time Strategically
With freed-up hours, you should reinvest your energy into:
- Deep strategy work
- Business growth
- High-level creative work
- Health and discipline
- Time with family or spiritual renewal
That’s the real return on time.
6. Avoid the Hustle Trap
Buying back time is not an excuse to just do more work.
It’s a strategic move to avoid burnout and focus on what creates the biggest ROI—personally and professionally.
7. Tools to Help You Start Today
The two best resources I recommend:
✅ Simpleology for laser-focused execution: http://snip.ly/Simpleology
📘 The Dark Side of Discipline for relentless follow-through: http://amzn.to/4iWiI7U
Conclusion
If you want more freedom, more peace, and more profit…
You must stop trying to do everything.
Buy back your time—and reinvest it with intention.
