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Maybe Now It’s Time to Buy Back Time for Yourself and Your Loved Ones

They said time is money, So we sold our days To desks, deadlines, and duty.

Now the clock ticks softer. The pace slows down. And we wonder— Can we afford to buy back What we gave so freely?

Not to earn. Not to win. But just to live again.

1. The Paradox of Retirement in Kenya

Retirement, in theory, is supposed to be a season of rest. A time to exhale. To spend mornings slowly, reconnect with loved ones, and revisit the parts of yourself that got lost in the hustle. But for many Kenyans, retirement looks like another job.

We see people starting businesses immediately after leaving employment, becoming consultants, jumping into family obligations, or even relocating to their rural homes only to pick up farming or new responsibilities. Rest doesn’t feel earned—it feels guilty.

Instead of enjoying time with grandkids, learning something new, or simply sitting with the self, many continue running. But what if retirement—and seasons like it—were not a signal to do more, but an invitation to do differently?

2. What Does “Buying Back Time” Look Like in Kenya?

Buying back time doesn’t mean sitting idle or wasting away. It means consciously choosing to:

  • Rebuild neglected relationships – Visiting that cousin you used to be close with. Calling your grown children not to instruct, but to simply ask, “How are you doing?”

  • Learn to be alone without being lonely – Taking long walks in Karura, journaling under a tree in Uhuru Park, learning how to enjoy your own company.

  • Grieve the lost years – Not just lost people, but lost dreams, energy, or parts of yourself buried under responsibility.

  • Create new joys – Taking up pottery in retirement. Joining a book club in Kisumu. Planting a garden in Nyeri, not to sell, but just to enjoy.

  • Rest, truly – Sleeping in. Drinking tea without rushing. Listening to your body. Saying no without explanation.

Buying back time is about reclaiming life on your terms, now that the pressure to prove has lifted.

3. What Stops Us from Buying Back Time?

  • Cultural Scripts About Worth – In Kenya, worth is often tied to how busy or productive we are. Idleness is frowned upon. We internalize the belief that slowing down is wasteful or lazy, forgetting that rest is also generative.

  • Fear of Irrelevance – Some fear becoming forgotten or obsolete if they step away from the hustle. But what if relevance isn’t about doing, but about being present?

  • Guilt – After years of giving to others, it feels selfish to finally prioritize yourself. But self-care is not selfishness—it’s sustainability.

  • Financial Anxiety – Many retirees feel they must stay active because of unstable pensions or pressure to support extended family. Sometimes, the hustle continues not because we must, but because we don’t know how else to exist.

  • Lack of Models – We don’t often see examples of Kenyans retiring into joy. Most elders keep going until they physically can’t. We rarely talk about what healthy, soul-filling rest looks like.

4. How to Know It’s Time to Buy Back Time

  • You’ve reached financial or lifestyle stability.

  • You’re tired—but not just physically. Soul tired.

  • You’ve stopped dreaming beyond survival.

  • The people you love barely know the real you.

  • You feel like a stranger to your own joy.

  • You keep asking, “Is this it?”

These are not signs of failure. They are signals. And maybe now, finally, it’s time.

5. How Do You Begin to Buy Back Time?

  • Start Small – Rest an extra hour. Take yourself to Java, not for work, but just to sit.

  • Reconnect – Reach out to one person a week that you’ve drifted from—family, friends, even yourself.

  • Pursue Curiosity – Always wanted to learn French? Paint? Ride a bike again? Now is the time.

  • Set Boundaries – You’re not everyone’s savior. You can love people and choose peace.

  • Reflect – What have I lost that I want to reclaim? What new joys can I discover? What does a good, full life look like now?

6. In the End…

Time is the only thing we can’t get back. But in some seasons, we’re gifted the chance to reclaim it.

So if you're in your 50s, 60s, or 70s… If your kids are grown, your debts are paid, or your spirit is just tired… If you’ve worked your whole life just to be free...

Then maybe now—right now—is the time to buy back time for yourself. And for the ones you love.

Not to prove anything. Not to fix everything. But simply… to be.

Call to Action: Pause today and ask yourself—what would it mean to truly live on your own terms now? Don’t wait for a perfect moment. Choose a small way to reclaim time this week. And if this reflection moved you, share it with someone navigating a similar season. Let’s create a culture where rest is respected, and time is treasured.

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