How many times have you said, “I’d love to do that, but I just don’t have enough time”?

Years ago, I was having a conversation with my brother. I had just started blogging, and I told him he should start his own blog too. He said he really wanted to, but he just didn’t have the time.

A little later in the conversation, he told me about something he was doing and said I had to start doing it too. I told him that it sounded great, but I just didn’t have the time.

And then it hit me.

We both have the same 24 hours in a day. Yet, each of us was prioritizing something that the other claimed they didn’t have time for.

It’s not that we don’t have time. It’s that we don’t care enough.

The Time Is There, If You’re Willing to See It

We all have the same 24 hours. And yet, we convince ourselves that certain things are impossible to fit into our schedule. But take a look at your phone’s screen time report.

Most people spend hours each day scrolling through their phone. You might not realize it, but your phone can tell you exactly how much time you’re spending on apps like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. It can be a scary wake-up call.

What if, instead of scrolling for four hours a night, you took just one hour for something meaningful? Imagine:

• One hour a day learning Torah or attending a shiur.
• One hour a day exercising and taking care of your health.
• One hour a day building a skill, reading, or working toward a dream.

That’s 365 hours a year. More than 15 full days of dedicated time.

As Pirkei Avot (2:15) states: Hayom katzeir v’hamelacha meruba — “The day is short, and the work is great.” Time is fleeting, and there is always much to do. The question is: how are you using your time?

Shifting Your Priorities

The truth is, if something really matters to you, you make time for it. And if it doesn’t, you won’t.

So how do you start caring about the right things?

1. Find the value in it – If you don’t care about learning Torah, find a topic or a teacher that interests you. If you don’t care about exercising, start reading about its benefits and surrounding yourself with people who do it regularly.
2. Start small – Many people don’t start something because they think they need to go all in from the beginning. But as Chazal teach: Tafasta meruba lo tafasta, tafasta me’utah, tafasta — If you grab too much at once, you won’t hold onto anything; if you take a little at a time, you’ll succeed.
3. Build habits strategically – Use habit stacking. Attach a new habit to something you already do consistently. If you always daven in the morning, add five minutes of learning afterward. If you drink coffee every morning, do five push-ups while it brews.
4. Track your progress – Seeing real progress makes it easier to stay motivated. Keep a small journal, use an app, or just mark an ‘X’ on a calendar every day you follow through.

The Power of Compounding Habits

Small efforts add up. The Chofetz Chaim explains that just as pennies accumulate into wealth, so too do small acts of learning and mitzvot add up over time. Learning even a little each day compounds, allowing you to connect ideas and grow to greater heights.

Similarly, when you start working out, you get stronger and healthier, making future workouts easier. The same applies to Torah learning—every concept you learn strengthens your foundation, helping you grow even more. The more you learn, the more connections you can make, unlocking deeper understanding and new insights that weren’t possible before.

Looking back at your life. Would you rather say, “I scrolled through thousands of meaningless posts,” or “I built myself spiritually, physically, and intellectually each day”? Every moment is an opportunity to shape who you become. Don’t waste it.

What Will You Start Today?

Looking back, there are many things I could have or should have started earlier. If I had, I’d be much further along now. But there are also things I did start, and today I’m so grateful that I did.

The best time to start was years ago. The second-best time is today.

As Pirkei Avot (1:14) teaches: Im lo achshav, eimatai? — “If not now, when?”

You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Just take one thing you always say you don’t have time for. Start small. Commit to it. Let it grow.

A year from now, you’ll look back and be amazed at how far you’ve come. But it starts with a decision—right now.

What are you going to do? Leave it in the comments.