How long does work take?

72% of respondents to my LinkedIn poll think that if I do four hours of work over four weeks, then the work takes four weeks, not four hours.
Of course, both are true. It just depends on what you mean when you say “work”. And that’s what makes talking about deadlines and estimates and the time work takes so difficult.
But, is it ever possible to talk about work, and delivery, and value without also talking about time?