Book Review: Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell – A Wellness Perspective

At Fulcrum Wellness Coaching, we talk a lot about balance, alignment, and the importance of managing your energy—not just your schedule. That’s why Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell (2023) resonated so strongly with us. While the book is often marketed to entrepreneurs and business leaders, its message offers deep relevance for anyone seeking greater well-being and purpose.

Martell’s core premise is simple but powerful: stop trying to do it all. Instead, identify what your time is truly worth and reclaim your energy by delegating low-value tasks, automating systems, and focusing on your "highest and best use." He writes, “You don't hire to grow your business. You hire to buy back your time” (Martell, 2023). That shift in mindset is the cornerstone of his “Buyback Principle.”

From a wellness perspective, this message is vital. Many of our clients come to Fulcrum feeling overwhelmed—navigating burnout, trying to meet professional obligations while also longing for personal growth, rest, and reconnection. Martell’s book provides a strategic framework that intersects beautifully with the Occupational, Emotional, and Financial dimensions of wellness we explore in our coaching.

Key Takeaways for Wellness-Minded Professionals:

1. Audit Your Energy, Not Just Your Calendar Martell suggests you regularly review your schedule and rate tasks based on how much energy they give or drain. This mirrors our practice of reflective journaling and energy mapping, helping clients pinpoint what contributes to well-being vs. depletion.
   

2. Delegate to Elevate Whether you're a solopreneur or juggling multiple life roles, you likely carry tasks that others could do—freeing you up for what truly matters. Delegating isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a strategic wellness investment.
   

3. Time is a Non-Renewable Resource Martell’s approach echoes the wellness truth we often affirm at Fulcrum: You can’t pour from an empty cup. Protecting your time is a form of self-respect—and a path to showing up more fully in every part of life.
   

4. Clarity Unlocks Freedom By getting crystal clear on your values and goals (a major part of our coaching process), you can better align your time with what matters most. As Martell suggests, you can’t scale chaos. You can only scale clarity (Martell, 2023).
   

A Gentle Reminder

This book isn't about hustle culture. It’s about reclaiming your life. It gives you permission to design your days with intention and purpose, so your energy can fuel the things that light you up—whether that’s growing your business, spending time with loved ones, or cultivating your well-being.

At Fulcrum Wellness Coaching, we guide our clients to align their use of time with their values, build sustainable routines, and create space for joy. If you’ve been feeling the weight of “too much,” Buy Back Your Time offers not just productivity tips—but a mindset shift toward freedom.

Your time is worth protecting. Your well-being is worth prioritizing.

Reference Martell, D. (2023). Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire. HarperCollins Leadership.