Time Leakage
What does the decision tabs cost over 20 years?
The Decision Tabs
30 minutes, 52 times/year, 20 years — the long-term cost is 520 hours.
How the number's built.
The comparison session feels like a small interruption. At 30 minutes across 52 occurrences a year, it becomes 520 hours over 20 years.
If you changed one thing
Half the pattern stays.
260 hours return.
No rush. It keeps until you want it.
A way through
cutting the pattern in half
13.0 hours/year returned
× 20 years = 260 hours returned
The Math
30 minutes / occurrence
52 occurrences / year = 26.0 hours/year
× 20 years = 520 hours
Assumptions
- Each occurrence lasts 30 minutes.
- 52 occurrences happen each year.
- Timeline spans 20 years.
- The calculation counts calendar time, not whether the time was useful.
The arithmetic of decision tabs
Last reviewed: May 2026.
An estimate built for reflection — not financial, medical, or legal advice. The figures follow the assumptions above.