Your Time is a Garden—Are You Growing Weeds or Tomatoes?

Often, time is compared to money, but perhaps a better metaphor is a garden. Unlike money, time cannot be saved or earned — it can only be spent. In the same way a garden grows based on how it is nurtured, a person’s life is shaped by how they spend their time.

In other words, some people fill their days with intentional tasks, cultivating what they care about — like tomatoes, nourishing and purposeful. Others, however, lose hours to distractions, unproductive habits, or obligations they never questioned.

So the real question is: Are you growing weeds or tomatoes?

Planting with Purpose

You may not realize it. But a patch of fertile ground awaits you every day. Think about it. Each morning, you are given 24 hours to decide what you will plant and how you will harvest it.

To grow tomatoes, you must plan ahead. Preparing the soil, planting the seeds, watering them, keeping out pests, and being patient are some of the things you need to do. It takes time, but eventually, you will have something tangible, nourishing, and fulfilling.

Weeds, on the other hand? They don’t require any planning — they thrive on neglect.

Have you ever scrolled through social media without thinking? This is weed. Would you agree to attend a meeting you didn’t need to attend? That’s another weed. You work all day without making any real progress on what really matters? You guessed it. Weeds.

In short, we don’t need to grow weeds deliberately; they find us instead. But what about tomatoes? They require our attention and care.

What Counts as a Tomato?

A tomato is any activity that aligns with your values, goals, or deeper meaning. The following are a few examples;

• Not just working in your business, but working on it as well.
• Getting to spend time with the people you care about.
• Maintaining your physical and mental health.
• Developing a new skill that will enhance your career.
• Refueling your creativity and energy by resting.

The thing to keep in mind is that what you see as a tomato might be considered a weed by someone else. For instance, one person may find a documentary inspiring while another may find it boring. Ultimately, it’s not about labeling activities as good or bad, but about whether they cultivate the kind of life you want.

The Quiet Cost of Weeds

There are times when weeds aren’t loud or dramatic. Often, they’re subtle. There are moments of procrastination here and halfheartedness there. Unchecked, they eat up space and resources that could have been used for something more productive.

Imagine a garden overrun with weeds. A few healthy plants may be trying to survive, but they’re struggling to get sunlight, nutrients, and room. This is your calendar when it’s filled with useless meetings, pointless tasks, or reactive work that keeps you busy but unproductive.

A garden can only support so many plants, and you also have a limited amount of time and energy each day. By allowing weeds to grow, you’re denying tomatoes space.

How to Tell the Difference

When you’re unsure of what’s a weed or a tomato, ask these questions;

• Is this moving me closer to something I care about?
• How will I feel about this a year from now?
• Is this something I choose or something I am forced to do?

If you answer “no” or “I’m not sure” to those questions, you may be watering a weed.

The Daily Cultivation Habit

It doesn’t take a massive life overhaul to change your garden. The most important thing for any good gardener is to pay attention and be intentional each day. To get started, follow these steps;

Observe your garden.

Track your time for a week, not just in hours but also in quality. Observe which activities leave you energized and which drain you. What activities produce meaningful results? What ones just take up space?

This will give you a realistic impression of your garden. If you don’t know what weeds are, you can’t remove them.

Pull a few weeds.

Don’t rip out all the weeds at once. You should start small. Remove one nonproductive meeting from your calendar. If a request is low priority, say no to it. Delete one distracting app from your phone. Most importantly, protect your time fiercely after you have freed up a little space.

Also, remember that weed removal is ongoing, not a one-time event.

Plant one tomato at a time.

Take the time to schedule one thing that matters to you — something you’ve been meaning to do, or something you know will pay off in the long run. Pay attention to it and give it your full attention.

Perhaps it’s writing, reuniting with someone important, creating a new habit, or reclaiming some time for yourself.

Start by planting one tomato. After that, another. As your garden grows, it will transform.

Tend to it daily.

A tomato doesn’t grow overnight. Depending on the variety and growing conditions, tomatoes typically mature between 60 and 100 days after planting. During this time, they must be watered, pruned, and exposed to sunlight. As for you? You need space, repetition, and care for your essential work.

Establish rituals around the most important things in your life. For example, deep work is best done in the mornings. Take a lunch break to rest. Evenings are for reflection. Stay in tune with your rhythm, and keep showing up.

Protect your borders.

A good garden has a fence, not to keep out the world, but to keep intrusions at bay. As such, get in the habit of setting time boundaries. Make sure notifications are turned off. Block off your calendar. And, remember, it is okay to say no without feeling guilty.

If your garden is trampled on every day by demands that don’t serve you, you won’t be able to grow anything meaningful.

When You Fall Behind

It happens to every gardener that they miss a watering day or let a few weeds in. We all get busy in life. There will always be emergencies. It’s okay.

The key is not to give up or rip out the entire garden in frustration. Instead, look for what’s growing, recommit, and restart. One tomato. A weed was pulled. There is always tomorrow.

It is more important to be consistent than to be perfect.

Final Harvest: What Are You Really Growing?

Ultimately, you’ll see the fruits of your labor at the end of the day, month, or year. Is your career something you’re proud of? Do you want a life that feels whole? Are your relationships strong and fulfilling?

Do you feel stuck in a garden full of obligations you didn’t choose, distractions you didn’t realize, and habits you didn’t intend to develop?

We have the opportunity to choose differently every moment of our lives. Planting what matters. What doesn’t work should be pulled.

Time is a garden, so make the most of it. What you grow is up to you.

FAQs

What does the metaphor “Your Time is a Garden—Are You Growing Weeds or Tomatoes?” mean?

Using this metaphor, we can illustrate how we spend our time and energy. Regarding our goals and well-being, “tomatoes” represent the activities that make us happy, productive, and meaningful. “Weeds” represent time-wasting, unproductive, and draining activities that hinder our progress and happiness. As we consider this question, we must ask ourselves whether we are actively cultivating valuable experiences or whether we are being distracted and surrounded by negative influences.

What are some examples of “weeds” in the context of my time?

“Weeds” come in many forms, including;

• A tendency to scroll through social media excessively without thinking.
• Negative self-talk and ruminating.
• Ignoring important tasks and procrastinating.
• Being around people who drain your energy.
• Getting entangled in gossip or drama that is unnecessary.
• Inefficient multitasking.
• Spending excessive amounts of time watching passive entertainment.

What are some examples of “tomatoes” in the context of my time?

“Tomatoes” are activities that nourish your growth and lead to positive outcomes, such as;

• Pursuing meaningful projects and goals.
• Developing new skills and expanding your knowledge.
• Spending quality time with people who inspire and lift you.
• Taking part in physical and psychological activities that promote good health (exercise, mindfulness, hobbies).
• Volunteering or helping others in your community.
• Pursuing your passions and expressing yourself creatively.
• Rejuvenation and rest.

How can I identify the “weeds” in my life?

The key to success is self-reflection. Ask yourself the following questions;

• Which activities consistently drain my energy, make me unproductive, or make me unhappy?
• Is there anything I do mindlessly or out of boredom that I engage in?
• Do I avoid specific tasks repeatedly?
• Are there any relationships that you find more taxing than supportive?
• What percentage of my time do I spend on things that don’t align with my values or goals?
• If you track your time for a few days, you will gain valuable insight into how your energy is spent.

How can I cultivate more “tomatoes” in my life?

To cultivate “tomatoes,” one must apply conscious effort and intention:

• Set clear goals. Knowing your goals, you can prioritize activities that will help you achieve them.
• Prioritize ruthlessly. Don’t waste time on less important tasks; learn to say no to less valuable commitments.
• Schedule intentionally. You should plan time for activities that contribute to your health and well-being.
• Practice mindfulness. Avoid distractions and stay present during your activities.
• Cultivate supportive relationships. Make sure you surround yourself with positive people who can inspire and motivate you.
• Break down large tasks. Divide daunting projects into smaller steps to make them more manageable.
• Regularly review and adjust. You should periodically assess how you spend your time and make the necessary changes.

Is it realistic to eliminate all “weeds” from my life?

While getting a garden filled with “tomatoes” is a worthy goal, eliminating all “weeds” might not be possible. Sometimes life’s less productive moments or tasks are necessary but less enjoyable. To minimize the “weeds” and maximize the “tomatoes,” one must be mindful of the balance.

Image Credit: Dominique Knobben; Pexels