Saira Khan and Stuart Holliday on the value of time

Which of these do you think is more important – Time or Money? 

It’s an age-old question that’s never been more relevant than it is today. 

And crucially, we now know the answer

Because, according to a new study by leading insurer Direct Line, almost two thirds of us (63%) say we value time over money.

Indeed almost half of us (49%) would be willing to pay for the benefit of having more hours in the day. On average we would be prepared to spend £170.48 for just one extra hour in the day.

But if time is such a precious commodity, why are we so bad at managing it? 

Wasting time, it would appear, is fast becoming a national pastime. A huge majority (83%) of us have regrets over wasted time, including hours wasted due to our own actions. And of all the ways we choose to fritter away our time, we think worrying is the worst offender, with almost half (47%) of us saying we waste time this way. Life admin is regarded as one of the biggest stress factors with almost half (43 per cent) of us feeling like we consistently waste time in queues and traffic, while a quarter (25 per cent) of us  have lost precious time having to organise bills and insurance. Waiting in for handymen and repairs has also been causing a strain on Brits, with 19 per cent complaining it is one of the biggest drains on their time

Surprisingly perhaps, over a third (34%) of us feel that scrolling through social media is another major waste of time.

This is clearly having a concerning impact on Brits’ wellbeing, with a staggering 46 per cent feeling “anxious” about their current life situation, followed by “drained” (35 per cent) and “stressed” (33 per cent). Over one in 10 (12 per cent) of us feel overworked, and over two fifths (41 per cent) of us feel like we have no time to achieve our goals. 

When it comes to feeling like our life is on track, Brits are falling short with a shocking 57% saying they do not feel that their life is where they would like it to be. 

Unfortunately, lack of time isn’t just stopping us from progressing professionally and achieving goals, it’s stopping us from doing what we love. Around a third (34%) of the 2,000 people surveyed say they don’t have the time to do the things they love. This is a particular issue for women, with 36% of females feeling under pressure due to time constraints.

While the assumption may be that we would use extra time to get ahead at work, 70 per cent rank spending time with family as the most important use of time. Over two fifths (43 per cent) say they would use extra time in the day with family and friends, while 34 per cent would dedicate it to living their best life. 

So, how can we make more of the limited time available to us in our increasingly busy lives? And how can we do more of the things that give us joy , like spending time with family and friends?

To answer these questions and delve into the meaning behind the research, Aston spoke to Life Coach Stuart Holliday who is also the co-host of a new six-part podcast entitled Living Your Best Life, that he is presenting with with Dancing on Ice star, Loose Woman panellist and all-round professional ‘doer’, Saira Khan: