We are all time travellers, creeping forwards at about one second per second depending on whether we are running for the bus or slumped on a sofa. Our progress remains irreversible, even above 88 miles per hour, so we should spend our time wisely. Working in a structured environment makes prioritising our time easier, because clear goals and timelines are laid out for us. These parameters guide our daily choices and determine where leisure time is possible: output from the time spent can be estimated from experience, and resources allocated accordingly. Working for yourself is very different: it’s like staring up at a foggy mountain. You can see the distant summit and you can see the next handhold, but you are not sure which path is most efficient, nor how fast you will move upwards. That’s the exciting and daunting bit.