This week I am issuing a challenge to you to take your perception of time – and how you spend it – to the next level. I challenge you to take one whole day and track what takes your time. And I mean, really track it! Have a notepad or if you prefer to use a note-taking feature on your phone or tablet, use that. But log everything you do, and exactly how long it takes you to do it. To the minute!
Track your Time
I have always found that doing this task helps immeasurably in contributing to my peace of mind. It helps in getting out of any stressed mind state, and especially out of overwhelm. When I see where my time goes, I have a much clearer picture of how long it takes to do certain tasks for my business. And also how long I spend on tasks that aren’t particularly useful.
I have to admit, sometimes I can get lost looking at beautiful pictures on Instagram or catching up on Facebook newsfeeds. When I started to track how much time I actually spent doing that, I did’t use that to judge myself. But I did use it to set a limit. Now, my internet surfing free time has a time limit. And is something I reward myself with rather than just aimlessly head into.
Get Clearer Ideas by Tracking
When you track your time, preferably using a notepad, you get a very firm mental idea of just what you do. You will know how long it takes you to do it. I bet you didn’t know how long it really takes you to wake up, take care of yourself, do your morning grooming, or get the kids ready for school. What about all the conversations you have with your family throughout the day?
Of course, we don’t want to let go of those. And I know for me having time with my family is vital, but it really does add up. So knowing this, it helps me to plan and sometimes even put on my calendar calls with family and friends. I definitely schedule family activities on the calendar as well.
Try this Exercise
I would love for you to do this exercise. Then write your comments below about any surprises you found around how long it takes you to do things. How long does it really take you to do the dishes or clean your house? How much time do you spend exercising? And then taking a break after exercising?
As you do this task, please be gentle with yourself. Please don’t come from a place of judgment. Rather, see this exercise as an invitation to take a bird’s eye view of yourself for one day. Be gentle and kind as you do this, and remind yourself that you are a human being not a human doing.
Knowing how you spend your time is just one more essential piece of self-knowledge that is guaranteed to give you more control over your day and keep stress and overwhelm at bay.
If this blog resonates for you, please feel free to reach out. I would love to learn more about how I may support you and your business. Sending you tons of love and light!