Time Leakage
What does the hold music cost over 30 years?
The Hold Music
22 minutes, 24 times/year, 30 years — the long-term cost is 264 hours.
How the number's built.
The hold feels like a small interruption. At 22 minutes across 24 occurrences a year, it becomes 264 hours over 30 years.
If you changed one thing
Half the pattern stays.
132 hours return.
No rush. It keeps until you want it.
A way through
cutting the pattern in half
4.4 hours/year returned
× 30 years = 132 hours returned
The Math
22 minutes / occurrence
24 occurrences / year = 8.8 hours/year
× 30 years = 264 hours
Assumptions
- Each occurrence lasts 22 minutes.
- 24 occurrences happen each year.
- Timeline spans 30 years.
- The calculation counts calendar time, not whether the time was useful.
The arithmetic of hold music
Last reviewed: May 2026.
An estimate built for reflection — not financial, medical, or legal advice. The figures follow the assumptions above.