While many things bind us together as humans, time is one of the strongest. No matter what time zone you live and work in, we all only have 24 hours a day. With our few short years on earth, we all want to do something worthy of our time. We want to make a difference; leave an impact; change the world.

So as you decide how to invest your precious days, months, and years, here are some time-related idioms to help fuel your English communication:

Better late than never… – It’s better to do something or arrive after the expected time than to not do it or not arrive at all
Speaker 1: “Are we still going to try to go to that party tonight? It started 30 minutes ago…”
Speaker 2: “Better late than never…”

Time is money… – Time is a valuable resource, therefore it’s better to do things as quickly as possible.
You better get to work. Time is money you know.

That ship has sailed – It’s used in reference to an opportunity that has passed or a situation that can no longer be changed
Speaker 1: “Can’t you still apply for the scholarship?”
Speaker 2: “That ship has sailed…”

Miss the boat… – It’s too late. (similar to “that ship has sailed” but can also be used prior to it being too late)
Oh I need to remember to apply for that scholarship today. I don’t want to miss the boat.

Run like the wind – To run or move quickly (often because a deadline is approaching)
The office closes in 5 minutes! Run like the wind!

Bite the bullet and… – To do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over
This weekend I think I will finally bite the bullet and clean my balcony. It’s a mess.

Call it a day… – To decide or agree to stop doing something
Well, I’m getting tired. Shall we call it a day?

Time flies when you’re having fun – You don’t know how long something lasts when it’s fun (sometimes used sarcastically as well when something isn’t really fun)
Speaker 1: “Wow. It’s already 5 o’clock?”
Speaker 2: “Yep. Time flies when you’re having fun.”