Time Leakage
What does the gate change watch cost over 30 years?
The Gate Change Watch
18 minutes, 10 times/year, 30 years — the long-term cost is 90 hours.
How the number's built.
The gate watch feels like a small interruption. At 18 minutes across 10 occurrences a year, it becomes 90 hours over 30 years.
If you changed one thing
Half the pattern stays.
45 hours return.
No rush. It keeps until you want it.
A way through
cutting the pattern in half
1.5 hours/year returned
× 30 years = 45 hours returned
The Math
18 minutes / occurrence
10 occurrences / year = 3.0 hours/year
× 30 years = 90 hours
Assumptions
- Each occurrence lasts 18 minutes.
- 10 occurrences happen each year.
- Timeline spans 30 years.
- The calculation counts calendar time, not whether the time was useful.
The arithmetic of gate change watch
Last reviewed: May 2026.
An estimate built for reflection — not financial, medical, or legal advice. The figures follow the assumptions above.