How To Feel Rich No Matter What You Make

When you think about wealth, you might picture yourself pulling up in a new car or wafting around a sprawling apartment. These are things you can possibly afford when you have a fat paycheck from a fancy job. You work hard, seek high-paying career moves, log long nights and weekends — and have a lot to show for it as a result.

Financial wealth is a goal many people strive for, but according to TikTok, it isn’t the only way to be rich.

“There’s a type of wealth not a lot of people talk about, and most high-earners don’t have it,” creator @lhuijuni.ldn says in a viral clip. “There’s a concept in psychology called ‘time affluence’ — and it completely changed how I think about wealth.”

Time affluence is the feeling that you have enough time to do the things you want, like taking an art class on Tuesday nights, sleeping in on Saturdays, and meeting up with friends on Sundays. It’s so important that some studies show people who are time rich are happier than those who earn more money but are constantly bogged down by work.

“Once your basic [financial] needs are met, money stops being the main driver of your well-being,” the creator went on to say. In other words, at a certain point, it doesn’t matter how much you make. “What really matters is whether you feel in control of your time.” Below, three experts share how to get your life back and feel rich in the process.

What To Know About “Time Affluence”

If you burn the midnight oil and fall asleep thinking about emails, then you might be lacking time affluence. “Most modern careers are essentially just an exchange of your time for money,” @lhuijuni.ldn says. “The real question is, what kind of wealth are you optimizing for?”

While it’s fine to chase a dream job that requires a major time commitment, some people are realizing they’d rather prioritize their personal life instead. As creator @yas.jd says in another clip, “Freedom of my own time is the greatest form of wealth. When you finally achieve the high salary, all you want to do is escape from that life.” It might explain why some people want to leave the rat race and get a “Hallmark movie job” instead, like working in a bookstore or cafe.

When you have a less intense job, but one that affords you a life outside of work, you might feel richer than any six-figure earner — and that’s truly priceless. “Time is our most precious resource,” says Laura Vanderkam, author of the upcoming book Big Time: A Simple Path To Time Abundance. “Once a second is gone, all the money in the world can’t buy it back.”

Dr. Patricia S. Dixon, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Embrace Your Inner Toddler: A Blueprint for Living Joyfully, says this trend is also about realizing that there’s more to life than a paycheck. “Don’t get me wrong, I love having the extra comforts and opportunities that come with a money-driven life,” she tells Bustle. “But if you never have the time to enjoy it, what good is it?”

In many cases, it’s better to strike a balance between paying your bills and still having time left over to live. “Research on ‘time affluence’ has found that feeling like you have enough discretionary time is linked to greater happiness, less stress, and higher well-being,” says somatic therapist Chloë Bean, LMFT.

She points to a study by Ashley Whillans, which found that people often feel greater happiness from protecting their time than they do from earning more money. “Once you're stable, your calendar can matter as much as your paycheck,” Bean says.

How To Get Your Time Back

Choose Your Job Wisely

The best place to start is by assessing your job. Bean recommends choosing one based on the lifestyle you’d like to have, even if it means forgoing a flashy salary. “A bigger paycheck can come with a hidden price tag, so ask about workload, boundaries, flexibility, and culture before accepting a role,” she says.

Say “No”

Another powerful way to protect your time is by setting firm boundaries and saying “no” more often. “If you don’t say no, you’ll never have time to spend on the things you value most,” Dixon says. “Practice saying no kindly but firmly.”

This relates to your social life, as well as your job. “[It] might mean not working on a beautiful summer weekend day, even if you could earn overtime for doing so,” Vanderkam says. If your bills are paid, keep that weekend for you.

Be Boring

In an effort to feel like you have abundant amounts of time, Bean says you should learn to embrace the art of a boring weekend. “Not every weekend needs to be ‘the best one,’” she says. “The nervous system needs downtime, not constant stimulation.” Nothing feels more luxurious than waking up on a Saturday with absolutely nothing to do.

Romanticize Ordinary Moments

Whether you have a high-pressure job, or one that allows you to close your laptop and forget about it all, this is an easy way to feel like you’re getting more time back. Bean suggests making the in-between moments of the day extra sweet: enjoy your morning coffee outside, slowly cook a nice dinner, or listen to music instead of scrolling. “Time wealth often looks less glamorous than people expect,” she says.

Make Memories

According to Vanderkam, novel experiences are the key to making your days and weeks feel slow and intentional. Do something new, live in the moment, occasionally push yourself outside your comfort zone, and suddenly your days will feel longer, richer, and more complex.

“An evening where you spend 30 minutes doing a puzzle feels more like it happened than an evening where you doom-scroll — so choosing more quality leisure can expand one’s sense of time.”

Sources:

Laura Vanderkam, author, speaker

Dr. Patricia S. Dixon, licensed clinical psychologist, author, speaker

Chloë Bean, LMFT, somatic trauma therapist