If there is one topic I think about most frequently, it is time.
如果有一個主題是我最常思考的，那就是時間。

My relationship with time has fundamentally morphed over the last few years.
在過去幾年裡，我與時間的關係從根本上發生了變化。

In that period, I went from feeling the invincibility of youth to the fragility of adulthood. From feeling that time was limitless—a non-factor—to feeling that time was depressingly limited—the only factor.
在那段時期，我從感受到青春的無敵到成人的脆弱。從感覺時間是無限的，不重要的，到感覺時間令人沮喪地有限，是唯一重要的因素。

Perhaps it was COVID—the forced slowdown of our lives that gave rise to a mass re-evaluation of priorities.
也許是 COVID - 迫使我們生活放慢，從而引發了對優先事項的大規模重新評估。

Perhaps it was the abrupt realization that my parents wouldn't be around forever.
也許是突然意識到我的父母不會永遠在身邊。

Perhaps it was the birth of my son—which created a visceral awareness of the passage of precious moments that we will never get back.
也許是我兒子的誕生 —— 讓我更加深刻地意識到那些我們永遠無法挽回的寶貴時刻正在流逝。

I expect I'm not alone: Time is suddenly on all of our minds.
我相信我不是唯一一個：時間突然成為我們所有人的焦點。

And while this may force us to confront some harsh realities, I would encourage you to consider this a small "tax" on all of the benefit you gain from deepening your respect for—and appreciation of—time.
雖然這可能迫使我們面對一些嚴酷的現實，但我鼓勵你將這視為對你從加深對時間尊重和欣賞中獲益的一種小 “稅”。

Today's piece will force you to confront a few such harsh realities—it may feel depressing, yet simultaneously inspiring.
今天的文章將迫使您面對一些殘酷的現實 — 這可能讓人感到沮喪，但同時也具啟發性。

I would encourage you to think about each graph and discuss it with your loved ones. If this piece causes even just a few of you to make positive changes in your life, I have done my job.
我鼓勵你思考每張圖表並與你所愛的人討論。如果這篇文章能讓你們中的一些人做出積極的改變，那麼我已經完成了我的工作。

Who We Spend Our Time With
我們和誰共度時光

A few weeks ago, I came across some data from the American Time Use Survey and Our World in Data that breaks down who we spend our time with over the course of our lives.
幾個星期前，我偶然發現了來自美國時間使用調查和 Our World in Data 的一些數據，該數據分析了我們一生中與誰共度時間。

I had seen the combined graph of this data shared in the past, but with so many lines, I admit that I often just glazed over it and failed to draw any meaningful conclusions.
我曾經看過這些數據的綜合圖表，但由於有太多線條，我承認我經常只是匆匆看過，未能得出任何有意義的結論。

This time, I decided to dig a bit deeper, so I downloaded the dataset (openly available at the link above) and split each line out into its own graph.
這一次，我決定深入挖掘一下，所以我下載了數據集（在上面的鏈接中公開提供），並將每行拆分成自己的圖形。

Staring at the deconstructed output, I knew no one would glaze over it.
凝視著被解構的輸出，我知道沒有人會對它視而不見。

Here are the 6 graphs, key takeaways, and a few ideas on "owning the curve" (i.e. making deliberate changes bend your personal graphs) in your future...
這裡有 6 張圖表，主要要點，以及一些關於在未來「擁有曲線」（即使有意識地改變彎曲你的個人圖表）的想法...

Family 家庭

Time spent with our parents, siblings, and family peaks in childhood and declines sharply after age 20.
與父母、兄弟姊妹和家人在一起的時間在童年時期達到高峰，並在 20 歲後急劇下降。

As you leave home and get caught up in your own life, you often fail to recognize that the time you have remaining with your family is so very limited.
當你離開家，陷入自己的生活中時，你常常沒有意識到與家人在一起的時間是非常有限的。

Key Takeaways: 主要觀點：

• Time with family is limited.
  與家人在一起的時間有限。
• Time with parents declines sharply after age 20. I wrote about the depressing math we all need to do in this piece.
• You may only see your loved ones a few more times.

Prioritize and cherish every moment.

Own the Curve: Call your parents or siblings this week for no reason other than just to chat.

Friends

Time spent with friends peaks at age 18 and declines sharply to a low baseline.

In your youth, you spend a lot of time with a lot of friends. As you enter adulthood, you spend a little bit of time with a few close friends.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace friendship breadth, but focus on depth.
• Cherish those who are with you through good times and bad. The "Darkest Hour Friends" are those you want to keep with you for life.

Invest your time and energy in the healthy, meaningful friendships that last.

Own the Curve: Think about the 2-3 friends who would be there for you in your darkest hour. Call, text, or email them this week to simply say how much you appreciate them.

Partner

Time spent with your partner trends up until death.

The person you choose to confront life's ups and downs with will have the largest impact on your happiness and fulfillment.
你選擇與之共同面對人生起伏的人將對你的幸福和滿足感產生最大影響。

Key Takeaways: 主要觀點：

• Who you choose as a partner is the most important decision you'll ever make.
  選擇什麼樣的伴侶是你一生中最重要的決定。
• Find someone you genuinely enjoy spending time with. Life isn't about the glamorous moments—most of life is just sitting around doing nothing. Find someone you genuinely enjoy doing nothing with.
  找一個你真正喜歡一起度過時間的人。生活並不只是光鮮亮麗的時刻，大部分的生活其實就是坐著無所事事。找一個你真心喜歡與之無所事事的人。

Remember: You get one shot at life. Never settle for less than love.
記住：人生只有一次機會。絕不滿足於不到愛的程度。

Own the Curve: Tell your partner one thing you appreciate about them today. Then do it again tomorrow. Then the next day. And so on. Appreciation and gratitude compounds.
擁有曲線：告訴你的伴侶今天你欣賞他們的一件事。然後明天再說一次。然後後天。依此類推。欣賞和感激會累積。

Children 兒童

Time spent with your children peaks in your 30s and declines sharply thereafter.
與子女共度的時間在 30 多歲時達到高峰，此後急劇下降。

You work and work to make more and more—but at what cost? At what point does all that work force you to miss the moments you can never get back?
你不停地工作，努力賺取更多的金錢 — 但這一切的代價是什麼？在什麼時候，所有的工作讓你錯過了永遠無法挽回的時刻？

There's a devastatingly short window of time during which you are your child's entire world. Don't blink.
在您成為孩子整個世界的短暫時刻裡，請不要眨眼。

Key Takeaways: 主要觀點：

• Time with your children is short—the "Magic Years" will fly by if you let them.
  與孩子在一起的時間很短暫 —— 如果你讓它們飛逝，那麼「魔法歲月」將會消逝。
• Be present in every moment.
  每一刻都要活在當下。

Slow down and embrace the sweetness that children bring to your life.
放慢腳步，擁抱孩子們帶給你生活的甜蜜。

Own the Curve: If you have children, spend 15 minutes each day this week fully immersed in your relationship with them. No phones allowed. Ask questions, listen, play with them. Just be present with them.
擁抱曲線：如果你有孩子，這個星期每天花 15 分鐘全神貫注地投入與他們的關係。不允許使用手機。提問題，傾聽，和他們一起玩。只需與他們在一起。

Coworkers 同事

Time spent with coworkers is steady during the traditional prime working years from age 20-60 and declines sharply thereafter.
與同事共度的時間在傳統的主要工作年齡段（20-60 歲）保持穩定，此後急劇下降。

Work will pull you away from your family and loved ones throughout your life.
工作將在你一生中讓你與家人和摯愛分離。

Key Takeaways: 主要觀點：

• You'll spend a lot of time at work.
  你將會在工作中花費很多時間。
• Who you choose to work with is one of the most important decisions you'll make.
  與誰合作是你將做出的最重要決定之一。

If you have the luxury of choice, make sure you choose work—and coworkers—that you find meaningful and important. Aim to have coworkers who create energy in your life.
如果你有選擇的奢侈，請確保選擇對你來說有意義和重要性的工作和同事。努力擁有能為你的生活帶來能量的同事。

Own the Curve: Ask yourself a few critical questions about your work and coworkers. Do you gain energy from being around them? Do they push you to grow intellectually? Are you happy spending such an outsized amount of your life with these coworkers?
擁有曲線：向自己提幾個關於工作和同事的關鍵問題。你是否從與他們在一起中獲得能量？他們是否推動你在智力上成長？你是否樂於花這麼多時間與這些同事在一起？

Alone 獨自

Time spent alone steadily increases throughout your life.
獨自度過的時間會隨著你的生活逐漸增加。

"All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone." - Blaise Pascal
「人類所有的問題都源於人類無法獨自靜坐在一個房間裡。」- 帕斯卡

When you're young, you learn to fear time alone. To fear boredom. But as you get older, you need to learn to cherish it.
當你年輕時，你學會害怕獨處。害怕無聊。但隨著年齡增長，你需要學會珍惜獨處的時光。

Key Takeaways: 主要觀點：

• Learn to embrace solitude.
  學會擁抱孤獨。
• Flex your boredom muscle regularly.
  定期活動你的無聊肌肉。

Find happiness and joy in the time you have to yourself—there will be a whole lot of it as you get older.
在你有的獨處時間中找到快樂和喜悅 - 隨著年齡增長，這種時間會變得更多。

Own the Curve: Spend 15 minutes each day being bored. No technology, no books or reading, no social interaction. Go for a walk, sit in a room, whatever. Flex your boredom and solitude muscle daily. Get comfortable with yourself.
擁有曲線：每天花 15 分鐘感到無聊。沒有科技，沒有書籍或閱讀，沒有社交互動。散步，坐在房間裡，隨便什麼都可以。每天鍛煉你的無聊和獨處的肌肉。與自己相處得舒適。

Putting It All Together 將所有元素結合在一起

Distilling all of this into 6 key lessons:
將所有這些精煉為 6 個關鍵教訓：

1. Family time is limited—cherish it.
   家庭時間有限，好好珍惜。
2. Friend time is limited—prioritize real ones.
   朋友的時間有限 - 優先考慮真正的朋友。
3. Partner time is significant—never settle.
   夥伴時間至關重要 — 永不妥協。
4. Children time is precious—be present.
   孩子的時間很寶貴 — 要在場。
5. Coworker time is significant—find energy.
   同事之間的時間很重要 - 找到能量。
6. Alone time is abundant—love yourself.
   獨處的時間很充裕 - 愛自己。

For those of you who are interested, you can download a full shareable PDF presentation of these charts and insights here.
對於有興趣的人，您可以在此處下載這些圖表和見解的完整可共享 PDF 演示文稿。

This is an important topic, so I would really like to hear from you:
這是一個重要的話題，所以我真的很想聽聽你的想法：

• What are your reactions to these graphs?
  你對這些圖表有什麼反應？
• How did it make you think differently about time, your life, and your priorities?
  它如何讓你對時間、生活和優先事項有不同的想法？
• What conversations did it spark with your loved ones?
  它與您的親人引發了什麼對話？

A Note on Sources: The data comes is a broad-based sample from the American Time Use Survey from 2009-2019, as compiled by Our World in Data. I do expect that there are cultural differences that would appear if we took a more global view, though I believe the takeaways and lessons are universal in nature. It would also be interesting to see data post-2020 to see how COVID-19 impacted who we spend our time with. I will post updates in the newsletter as I uncover and analyze new data.
關於資料來源的說明：數據來自於 2009 年至 2019 年的美國時間使用調查的廣泛樣本，由 Our World in Data 編制。我預期如果我們從更全球的角度來看，可能會出現文化差異，但我相信得出的結論和教訓是普遍的。看到 2020 年後的數據，以了解 COVID-19 如何影響我們花時間的對象，也將是有趣的。我將在通訊中發布更新，當我發現並分析新數據時。

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