Time flies. It’s one of those phrases we hear so often that it almost fades into the background. But when I take a quiet moment to reflect, I can feel the truth of it. The days melt into weeks, and weeks into months, until suddenly, another year has almost passed. And sometimes, I find myself wondering: where did it all go?

Admit it or not, I’ve always struggled with managing my time. Not because I don’t care, but because I care too much. There are so many things I want to do, so many goals I want to chase, and so many moments I want to savor. My days are full. I spend around 7.5 hours on my PhD research, diving deep into falsification problems and distributed frameworks that both challenge and inspire me. Then there’s intraday trading, which takes another 3-4 hours—a mentally damaging but fulfilling part of my day.

In between, I make sure to connect with the people who matter most. I spend an hour each day making video calls to my daughter and my parents. These moments of connection ground me and remind me why I should work harder and harder. I also spend about a couple of hours per day to side projects, which allow me to explore other possibilities. By the end of the day, I often realize there’s little time left for myself.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in moments like these, but I’m learning to see it differently. Time management isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. It’s about choosing, moment by moment, to focus on what truly matters. And sometimes, it’s about giving myself permission to pause, to breathe, and to let go of the idea that I have to have everything figured out.

I’ve come to realize that part of the beauty of time is its fleeting nature. It’s a gentle reminder to be present, to cherish the little moments that make up our days. A smile from a loved one, the warmth of the sun on my face, the quiet joy of doing something I love or I hate—these are the moments that matter, and they’re often the ones I overlook when I’m too focused on what’s next.

So, I’m learning. I’m learning to slow down and to approach time with a sense of gratitude instead of frustration. I’m learning to let go of the pressure to be perfectly productive and to embrace the beauty of imperfection. Some days, I’ll get it right. Other days, I’ll stumble. And that’s okay, because life isn’t a race; it’s a journey.

Time may fly, but it also gives us wings. And even as it moves forward, it leaves us with memories, lessons, and the chance to begin again, every single day.