At the time I am typing this article (April 2025), I have probably spent well over one third of my professional time this week working around the impact of the tariffs instituted by the Unites States. In has squeezed many aspects of business and absorbed a lot of energy. My schedule has been adjusted multiple times, in addition to my proprieties being shifted.
On top of that, my wife and I have been evaluating our budget and expenditures. We attended an online meeting with the company that manages our Retirement plan. We even purchased a new computer for my wife. It was planned for later in the year, but rising prices altered the timeline.
All this because the current administration decided a threatened trade war was a key component to their economic strategy. So, while I adapt to changing personal and professional events around me, I realized that we often tariff our time, and we also tariff others around their time as well.
An economic tariff is a tax or duty imposed by a government on goods that are imported into or exported out of a country. It essentially increases the cost of these goods, particularly imports, making them relatively more expensive compared to domestically produced goods.
A time tariff is a commitment forced onto a person in their personal or professional life that is unplanned. It adds to already committed activities, making it hard to maintain boundaries in both professional and personal life.
The term tariff covers a variety of types. Let’s look at a few and put the time element in them, and what you can do to combat the challenges and not seek retaliatory measures or escalate tensions.
This type levies a fixed amount of unexpected meetings regardless of the time in the day and with very little notice. For example, a time tariff of 1-hour is put on you for a 6:00am meeting as you wake up at 5:30 in the morning.
When someone decides that what you are working on is not as important as their needs and they try and force a change in your activity. For example, you need to catch up on long overdue administrative work, but instead you are pushed to complete a projection report.
The main goal here is for someone else to demand you to block off your schedule at a specific time of their choosing to be available for them in case they need you. For example, a boss tells a subordinate not to plan anything specific but be ready to come and assist them.
These are time tariffs imposed by a person in response to time tariffs or productivity barriers imposed by someone else. For example, a co-worker invites another team member to a meeting at the last minute. The second felt it was unnecessary, so they invite the first to a future meeting where they are not needed.
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Now, let’s look at solutions for you when time tariffs impact your ability to be productive.
Just as economic tariff-rate quotas allow a certain amount of goods at a lower cost before increasing the duty, consider implementing personal “quota” systems for your availability.
Decide on a reasonable number of unplanned interruptions or last-minute requests you can accommodate within a given day or week without significantly disrupting your core tasks. Once this “quota” is met, politely but firmly communicate your limited capacity until a later time. This helps manage the influx of “time tariffs” and protects your focused work periods.
Think of establishing “trade agreements” with colleagues and even family members regarding your time. This involves proactively discussing communication styles, meeting expectations, and preferred methods of collaboration.
By setting clear boundaries and mutual understandings about response times and meeting scheduling, you can reduce the imposition of unexpected time tariffs. For instance, agreeing that non-urgent requests will be addressed within a specific timeframe, rather than demanding immediate attention, can foster a more predictable and less disruptive workflow.
Like how some economic tariffs have sunset clauses (a provision for the tariff to expire after a certain period), actively apply “sunset clauses” to your time commitments. Regularly review your recurring meetings and obligations. Are they still necessary and productive?
Don’t be afraid to suggest ending or modifying commitments that no longer serve their original purpose. This proactive “de-tariffing” of your schedule frees up valuable time and prevents the accumulation of unnecessary burdens.
Economic tariffs or not, there will always be instances when we are challenged with tariffs that are placed on our time. The key is to not retaliate or reciprocate. State your case, adapt your circumstances. In times of high Stress, build in additional flexibility to proactively respond with a strategy and a plan to create freer and greater quality time.
David Buck is the author of the book The Time-Optimized Life, coauthor of The Retirement Collective, and owner of Kairos (Time) Management Solutions, LLC. Learn how to apply the concepts of proactively planning and using your time. Take the Time Management Analysis (TMA), the Retirement Time Analysis (RTA), or all the other free resources offered to help bring more quality time into your life.
The post The Tariffing of Your Time first appeared on Infinity Lifestyle Design.
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