Elapsed Time VS Utilized Time: My Secret Productivity Hack

Just yesterday, I was navigating the bustling streets of Beijing, and a day before that, I was soaking in the vibrant energy of Tokyo. There’s no doubt about it – whether for clients or for seeing friends, I travel a lot. And after you’ve flown over 11 million miles, you learn how to maximize your time in the air.

You might be wondering, “How does he manage to stay productive with such a hectic travel schedule?” Well, let me share a powerful concept that has been a game changer for me: the distinction between elapsed time and utilized time.

Elapsed time is the total amount of time that passes during a certain activity or over the course of a day. It’s essentially the chronological time from start to finish of an event or series of events. 

For example, if a flight from New York to London takes seven hours, that seven hours is the elapsed time for the flight.

Utilized time is the portion of elapsed time that is actively used for productive activities. It’s about maximizing the effectiveness of the time you have. In the flight example, if you spend four of those seven hours working on a report, those four hours are your utilized time.

The difference matters more than you think.

Yesterday, during our five and a half hour flight from Beijing to Thailand, I wasn’t just sitting idle; I was in full work mode—processing emails, watching training videos, and strategizing. Once we landed and hopped into a Grab—Asia’s answer to Uber—my productivity didn’t stop.

I continued working right there in the back seat following the same systems I’ve used for over 20 years to stay on top of tasks.

Are you using your time well?

Many people lose valuable hours in their day during activities with high elapsed time but low utilized time. These are the pockets of time spent commuting, waiting in lines, or even flying across continents.

For most, these moments might seem like downtime, but for me, they are opportunities to push forward, supporting by delegating to team members for things I don’t have time to complete myself.

Flying over 300,000 miles each year, I’ve learned to treasure every minute of utilized time. No one is looking over your shoulder to make sure you can get the work done – only you can do that.

This approach allows me to not only keep up with my work but also to manage my team, respond to clients, and still have the freedom to travel and live life on my terms. Digital marketing, thankfully, grants me the flexibility to operate from anywhere in the world.

This is why I don’t drive or get bogged down with everyday chores like cooking and cleaning even when I’m at home. Since these tasks would eat into my time to respond to clients and grow our team, it’s not worth my energy and I delegate it to others.

Funny enough, this is a version of DDD (Do, Delegate, Delete) which is a core principle in our 9 triangles framework..

It’s not about avoiding these tasks, but rather about optimizing every hour of my day. Whether I’m on a 12-hour flight or sitting in a bus, as long as I have Wi-Fi, I’m making the most of that elapsed time.

So here’s a thought for you: consider how you can transform your own elapsed time into utilized time. It’s not about working harder, but about working smarter. With this mindset, you can achieve more, experience more, and enjoy greater freedom—without sacrificing productivity.

Remember, it’s possible to do what you love, with the people you cherish, in the places that excite you, all by mastering the balance between elapsed time and utilized time. I hope this concept helps you as much as it has helped me.

Here’s to living and working efficiently, no matter where in the world you are!