Time IS Money

New research by Stanford Business School demonstrates that for individuals who bill by the hour, the world can turn into a 24 hour clock divided by dollar signs (I discovered this link courtesy of Stepanie West Allen who writes the blog Idealawg.) Of note, the study talked about lawyers who "admitted to mentally ticking away lost income for each minute they stood on the sidelines while watching their kids play soccer admitted."

What this highlights for me is how easy it is for your life to get out of balance if you bill for your time. Lawyers who live by the billable hour should set aside breaks in their day/week/month/year when the clock is not running. This can't be done informally. It must be deliberate. And so as I sit here on a Sunday blogging away (and I don't even bill for my time), I realize it is time to sign off and go eat lunch and play with my kids (and get ready for the AFC playoff game!)