After a discussion of time management with a friend I dug out this excellent comment I got on a blog I ran some years ago, as it nicely sums up my point of view. (A friend of mine, Funky Franz, left it after I said sorry, I don't have the time right now.)

A digression into the philosophy of time

Time is the most evenhanded distributed ressource on this planet: everyone gets 24 hours a day.

Except for some basic needs such as sleeping, eating and maintaining health, you can do whatever you think it's right and important with these 24 hours.

As you have a difficult status as an unemployed person and may be looked at like a second-class citizen in society (family, friends) – together with feeling worthless or bored – you probably end up engaging in gainful employment .

Unfortunately, most employers know some tricks and how to apply pressure to change or even control the time management of an individual.

Some of these methods are

Everything-or-nothing-method

The time you invest as an employee is traded coarse-grained.
According to the principle “either you take this full-time job or you end up on the street”.

Peer pressure

Colleagues competing who stays longest.
The one who leaves early, because he's got other priorities, is going to be dissed.

Setting dates for results

If you enjoy some more relaxed timing (e.g. you're a contractor) this usually means more work, as you think you can't live up to the quality standard and narrow margin deadlines.

The different methods of time management mostly exist to provide clarity of own priorities, retaining those priorities in a suitable time planning, and also to have an overview of the actual allocated time of these actions. All in all rendering consciousness of timing.

Since then I've abandoned the phrase “I don't have the time”. I rather say “I've got other priorities”. Allowedly, from time to time this requires some diplomatic skill, so it does not sound harsh.

I've never said “I don't have the time” since, too. How do you perceive and deal with time – your time?