Make Time Count

The Small Decisions That Shape a Big Year

by James Smith, Executive Director

Let me ask you something as we head into a new year.

What’s one meaningful contribution you’ve made to your life recently? Something that made your family stronger, your business better, your customers happier, or your own mindset healthier?

Now a second question—one that matters even more:

What are you currently doing—on purpose—to create a result that will make a real difference in 2026?

Because here’s the truth: it’s never too late to start doing the right things. But it is easy to keep postponing them.

Time isn’t something you “find.” Time is something you decide.

We all get the same allotment every week: 168 hours. That’s 10,080 minutes. Or, if you want to feel the pressure a little more, 604,800 seconds.

And you don’t get to save any of it. You can’t roll unused minutes into next week. If you don’t use it wisely, it’s simply gone.

That’s why I’m a big believer that seconds matter. Why? Because seconds add up to minutes, which add up to days!

I’ve watched people lose time—not in dramatic ways—but in tiny ones:

• Searching for the phone number they know they wrote down somewhere

• Digging through emails to find an address

• Looking for that paper they swear they “put in a safe place”

• Re-reading the same message three times because they’re mentally overloaded

A few seconds here. A minute there. And before long, it compounds.

The math is simple—and a little painful.

If you waste 30 minutes a day, that adds up to about 182 hours a year.

That’s more than four and a half 40-hour workweeks.

That’s basically an entire month of productivity—gone.

So let me ask you: What would you do with an extra four weeks a year?

As a Chamber, we work with businesses every day that are trying to grow, hire, serve, improve, and stay competitive. Most don’t need a miracle—they need a plan and a few better habits. Just taking 30 minutes each day from scrolling newsfeeds, watching TV, etc... could give you that extra four weeks to totally change your business or your life!

With four extra weeks, you could:

• strengthen relationships with customers

• improve your systems and consistency

• train your team or yourself

• create content and build visibility

• build partnerships and deepen connections

• take care of your health and energy so you can actually enjoy your success

Time is not money. It’s more valuable.

You can make more money. You can replace equipment. You can recover from a slow month.

But you cannot buy back a week you wasted.

So I want you to think about your week differently: 10,080 minutes. That’s what you get, every single Monday morning.

Now, what if you intentionally assigned some of those minutes to what matters most?

Here are a few examples—simple investments that pay off:

• Exercise: 300 minutes a week (about 40–45 minutes a day) That’s not indulgence. That’s future-proofing your energy.

• Family and meaningful relationships: 300–500 minutes a week. Don’t just “be around them.” Make them feel valued.

• Time for your most important person: 120–180 minutes a week. A walk. A dinner. A movie. A conversation without distractions.

• Personal development: 150 minutes a week. Reading, learning, sharpening your craft. That’s how promotions, new opportunities, and breakthroughs happen.

• Sleep: Aim for a real plan. Because tired leaders don’t make good decisions.

• Planning time: block 75 minutes a week. That one habit alone can change everything—because it helps you stop reacting and start leading.

The future is built in small deposits.

Exercise is an investment in the future. Financial planning is an investment in the future. Quality time is an investment in the future. Learning is an investment in the future.

A lot of what we do today doesn’t pay off instantly—but that doesn’t mean it isn’t paying off.

If you want a better year, you don’t need to wish for it. You need to schedule for it.

Here’s your challenge:

Take 300 seconds—five minutes—today.

Write down:

1. the one thing you most want to improve in 2026.

2. the one habit you know you need.

3. the first step you’ll take this week.

Then put it on your calendar.

Because you can’t hope your year gets better. You can’t wish your business becomes more organized. You can pray for a better year—and I do believe prayer matters—but the best way to move forward is to take responsibility and take action.

That’s leadership.

And as your Chamber, we’re here to support you—through training, connections, encouragement, and tools that help you grow.

If you want 2026 to be different, start by treating time with the respect it deserves.

Your future is being scheduled right now.