Have you ever wondered how your time stacks up over a lifetime? Assuming an average lifespan of 79 years—or 948 months—I’ve crunched the numbers to see how a “typical” person might divvy up their days, focusing on someone who doesn’t engage in religious practices or regular exercise (like the majority of people in my area of King County, Washington).
This isn’t about judgment; it’s about curiosity and a bit of math. Here’s how it shakes out, ranked by months spent, with some overlap (multitasking) baked into real life (because who doesn’t scroll X or watch TV while eating?).
-
Sleeping: 316 months
We all need rest, and at 8 hours a night, a third of your life—316 months—goes to snoozing. It’s the undisputed champ of time consumption. -
Leisure/Screen Time (TV, streaming, social media, etc.): 207 months
For the modern soul, screens are king. At 6 hours a day (yes, this is the average American) from age 10 to 79, you’re looking at 207 months of Netflix binges, TikTok rabbit holes, X debates, other social media, games, and more. No exercise means more couch time, right? -
Working: 118 months
From age 22 to 65, a 40-hour workweek for 50 weeks a year tallies 118 months. It’s what pays the bills, assuming you kick off that daily grind after schooling. -
Eating and food prep: 60 months
This covers making and eating meals and snacks—about 1.5 hours a day. You’re not fasting or skipping, just keeping it steady. -
Chores and Errands: 50 months
Combined at 2 hours a day from age 18 to 79, chores (laundry, dishes) and errands (grocery runs, bank trips) eat up 50 months. No time to squeeze gym trips in here. - Driving: 31 months
Beyond commuting and quick grocery runs, an hour a day from age 16 to 79 for getting around adds 31 months. No walks or jogs—just the car. -
Personal Care: 30 months
Showering, grooming, and the basics take 30 months—about an hour daily (men often less, women often more), trimmed down for efficiency. -
Schooling: 25 months
From age 5 to 18, plus four years of college, education clocks in at 25 months. It’s the prep for that working life. -
Hobbies: 17 months
30 minutes a day from age 10 is your casual gaming, reading, or crafting—nothing too sweaty. -
Parenting: 18 months
Averaged for two kids, a good parent spends 2 hours a day helping, raising, tutoring, and having quality time for 18 years (assuming your kid moves out then), which lands at 18 months. Kids don’t notice if you skip church or the treadmill. -
Socializing: 15 months
30 minutes a day connecting, writing, chatting, etc., with friends or family—maybe over Zoom, given the insane modern screen time. -
Commuting: 15 months
An hour a day for 43 working years totals 15 months. It’s the price of getting to the job. -
Travel/Vacations: 14 months
One week a year from age 18 to 79 gives 14 months of getaways—no pilgrimages, just relaxation. -
Waiting: 12 months
This is the inevitable downtime— lines, loading screens, flight delays, phone trees, and hold times —about 20 minutes a day. -
Healthcare: 6 months
A modest 6 months for doctor visits and such, an hour a week lifelong, mainly because there is no fitness regime to offset your less than optimal health.
Grand Total: 934 months.
That leaves 14 months—just over a year—unaccounted for (AKA “free time”). Call it breathing room: moments of staring out the window, daydreaming, or just existing.
For this hypothetical “average” person (no religious services, no jogging), sleep (316 months) and screens (207 months) dominate, with work (118 months) a distant third. It’s a life heavy on (needed) rest and digital leisure, light on sweat and sermons. How does your own tally compare? How do you move things around to make your life work?
If you had only 14 months of free time in your entire life, what would you do with it? Or better yet, if God told you that you had 14 months left to live, how would you spend it? This is the real question that could help you cut some of these things and replace that time with things that are truly important to you.
For me, my Christian faith and a strong marriage are my top priorities, so add in 1.5 hours/week for church and 1 hour/week for my own Bible reading, prayer, and devotions with my wife.
Next is my 1.8-year-old grandson (and granddaughter – coming soon). I spend 8 hours with him one day a week so his mom can go to work and so I can get incredible quality focused time with him, which brings me pure joy beyond words.
Exercise is also a high priority, but thanks to X Gym’s methods, I average only 42 minutes a week on strength training and 21 minutes a week on cardio (X Gym’s Xardio classes), so that’s a little over an hour per week to have a health and fitness level equivalent to a competitive athlete four decades younger than me.
How do I fit it all in? Well, my numbers are drastically different from the “average” person above, and I’m sure many of them are for you, too. Some might be higher, and some might be lower, but the point of this post is to get you thinking (and keeping closer track of your time might be a real eye-opener).
The important things in life might be passing you by without even realizing it – until it’s too late. Don’t let that happen!
You only live once (here on earth), so what level of quality and happiness in your one life do you really desire?
More most people, money isn’t their most valuable resource. They can always get more of that. It’s their time, which they can’t ever get back. Once it’s spent, it’s gone.
Here’s your “homework:” You most likely have much more than 14 months to live, but if you didn’t, what would you change?
Latest Posts
