2024 was a blur. It wasn’t just busy—it was the busiest year of my life. And while I accomplished a lot, I often felt like I was on a treadmill that wouldn’t stop.
The classic Run DMC lyric kept playing in my head: “When I wake up, people take up mostly all of my time.”
The truth is, I put myself in that position. I said yes to a lot of opportunities—projects, contracts, clients—and many of them came with demands that required my immediate attention. Emergencies popped up. Fires needed to be put out. And before I knew it, my personal time had all but disappeared.
Sound familiar?
I recently read an article by Justin Welsh, “The Money-First Trap”, that hit close to home. In it, he talks about the dangers of prioritizing money and work over everything else—especially time. And his insights made me realize something important:
In 2025, I don’t just want more money. I want more time.
How We End Up in the Trap
In his article, Welsh describes how easy it is to get caught in the “money-first” mindset. We take on every opportunity that comes our way because we’re driven by the idea that more work equals more success.
He writes:
“When you let money dictate how you spend your time, you start making decisions that prioritize revenue over relationships, busyness over balance, and growth over gratitude.”
That was me in 2024. I said yes to more contracts, side gigs, and responsibilities than ever before. And while the income was nice, the trade-off was my freedom.
I was constantly busy, but not always productive. My time belonged to other people’s priorities, not my own. And as a result, work spilled over into my personal life—leaving little room for rest, creativity, or simply enjoying the moment.
Reclaiming My Time in 2025
For 2025, I’m taking a different approach. Instead of letting work take over my life, I’m going to let my personal priorities cut into my work time.
This doesn’t mean I’ll stop working hard. It means I’ll start working smarter.
What does that look like?
- Eliminate What Doesn’t Matter.
- Not every project is worth the time it takes.
- I need to let go of tasks, clients, and commitments that don’t align with my bigger goals.
- Redefine Efficiency.
- Reorganize workflows to minimize interruptions and maximize output.
- Batch tasks, automate systems, and streamline processes to free up time.
- Say No More Often.
- I’ve been quick to say yes to opportunities because they sound exciting—or profitable.
- In 2025, I’ll be quicker to say no unless something clearly moves me closer to my vision.
- Prioritize Personal Time.
- Work has been cutting into my personal time for too long.
- Now it’s time to reverse that and let personal priorities cut into work.
Building a Future That Works for Me
Justin Welsh’s article asks an important question:
“What would your life look like if you optimized for time and freedom instead of revenue and growth?”
For me, it means:
- Enjoying life more.
- Spending more time with family.
- Saying yes to experiences, not just opportunities.
- Creating systems and workflows that allow me to step away without everything falling apart.
It also means reminding myself that time is finite.
We can always make more money, but we can’t make more time. And if we don’t protect it, it’s too easy for other people’s priorities to fill up our calendars.
Final Thoughts: The Real ROI
As Justin Welsh points out, money is important—but it’s not the end goal. The real ROI comes from designing a life where time and freedom are the priorities.
For me, 2025 is about resetting expectations, reclaiming control, and protecting my time. It’s about saying yes to what matters most—and letting go of the rest.
If you’ve ever felt like your schedule was running you instead of the other way around, I encourage you to read Justin’s full article, “The Money-First Trap”. It might be the reminder you need to start putting time first.
2025 isn’t just another year. It’s an opportunity to build a life that works for you—not the other way around.