Time Leakage
What does the elevator wait cost over 30 years?
The Elevator Wait
4 minutes, 480 times/year, 30 years — the long-term cost is 960 hours.
How the number's built.
The elevator wait feels like a small interruption. At 4 minutes across 480 occurrences a year, it becomes 960 hours over 30 years.
If you changed one thing
Half the pattern stays.
480 hours return.
No rush. It keeps until you want it.
A way through
cutting the pattern in half
16.0 hours/year returned
× 30 years = 480 hours returned
The Math
4 minutes / occurrence
480 occurrences / year = 32.0 hours/year
× 30 years = 960 hours
Assumptions
- Each occurrence lasts 4 minutes.
- 480 occurrences happen each year.
- Timeline spans 30 years.
- The calculation counts calendar time, not whether the time was useful.
The arithmetic of elevator wait
Last reviewed: May 2026.
An estimate built for reflection — not financial, medical, or legal advice. The figures follow the assumptions above.