Finding Time: Part 6 - Track Your Time
Missed the first posts in this series? Start here.In seeking to simplify our lives in order to focus on what's important, it is helpful to determine how we are spending our time in the first place. Sometimes, we feel as if we don't have enough time at all but there is nothing we can do about it since it seems everything we are doing is absolutely essential.
Maybe that truly is the case for you, but more likely than not, there are some areas in your day where time is being wasted or spent inefficiently. The best way to figure out how you are spending your time and ways to improve and become more efficient is to track your time for an entire week.
"An entire week?" you say, "I barely have time to brush my teeth. How am I going to find time to record what I do everyday?" Well, maybe you can't handle tracking your time for a whole week. If not, start with tracking what you do every 30 minutes for 2-3 days.
Get a notebook and have it in a handy place. Then, as you go about your normal day, log what you spent your time on in 30-minute increments. Set the timer to go off every 30 minutes if you need the reminder to write it down.
Once you've finished tracking your time for 2-3 days or longer, look back over your time log and determine where your time is being spent. If you're like me, when I've done this in the past, I've quickly been able to spot areas where I was wasting a lot of time and it's been incredibly eye-opening for me.
My biggest time-wasters are getting distracted on unnecessary things and my all-time culprit--the computer. Knowing that these are two areas I struggle with, I've made a concerted effort to especially put boundaries in place to keep me on track.
I have a good schedule in place for our day and it is printed out and put in my homemaking binder in clear page protectors. Since I love crossing things off a list, I use a dry erase marker to cross each time slot off the schedule as it's completed. This helps me greatly to stay focused and on track. We don't always follow the schedule perfectly, but it is a guideline and tool that keeps me from getting distracted, off-course, and letting time slip away needlessly.
[Note: Having just finished reading Get More Done in Less Time, I've even more motivated to become more organized so that I might be even more efficient in my time usage. I just ordered new planner pages from GraceWorks (in addition to my basic FranklinCovey daily pages I use), Jesse and I figured out a time where I can have a weekly planning mini-retreat (Saturday mornings at the coffee shop by myself!), and I'm inspired to take organization up a notch so that I might be a better manager of our home to bless my husband and family and all who would enter our doors. I'll be sharing more on this as I continue to learn, grow, and put things into practice!]
As far as computer time goes, my best solution has been to stick to the schedule and not allow myself to get on the computer unless it's the allotted computer time or I've gotten another job done early. My goal is that my family never sees me on the computer. I don't always perfectly achieve this, but it's what I strive for. I do not want my children to grow up feeling like I'm more attached to the laptop than them. And so I usually am only on the computer in the early mornings or in the afternoons during nap time/quiet time. You know what? Staying off the computer during most of the day means I get so much more accomplished!
What about you? What areas do you find are your biggest time-wasters? What solutions have you found to keeping these from stealing your efficiency?
Labels: Finding Time
posted by Crystal Paine at 5:30 PM
17 Comments:
Thank you for you constant honesty and encouragement! We need the push to open our eyes to the truth... we (me) waste time everyday! I really thought your statement about having your family never see you on the computer was HUGE!!! That is a good goal! Sometimes I do think my family comes in second fiddle to the computer.... not a good choice on my end!
What a challenge this is! Thanks for sharing your struggles and growth.
Wow that is a great goal - to not have my family see me on the computer! Thank you I needed that encouragement!
Computer is definitely my biggest time waster as well and something I strive to balance everyday. Some days not so good, some days great.
Computer time is also my biggest culprit. I think I will try to adopt your goal of your family never seeing you on the computer. Wow! Can you tell us more about Graceworks? I went to their website, but they didn't seem to have a way to preview pages before buying. I feel like my current system is really cumbersome--too many binders, too many calendars. What works for you?
Phebe
I, too, have found the computer to eat away at my time. I keep myself from "just checking email" or "taking a quick peek at this blog" by turning my pc off entirely, and only turning it on for my scheduled computer time.
Oh, Crystal...I LOVE the idea to not let your family see you on the computer. That really resonates with me, I know the Lord used you to give me a very practical way I can better manage my time on the computer. I have been working on a schedule and am still in the tweaking process, but this will be an additional reminder for those times when I'm tempted to come in the middle of the day.
I'd so much rather have my kids remembering that I was there for them continually, rather than on the computer continually! Thanks for sharing this. I also love the mini planning retreat idea - I'll be talking to Matt about that, as I think that would be a blessing to him, as well.
SO grateful for your ministry to all of us!
Love in Christ,
Jodie
What a fantastic idea! I'm going to record what I do tomorrow. I think it will be an interesting and helpful exercise.
Yep, I'm working on limiting my computer time too. It's definitely my biggest challenge.
As I was reading your post, my 20-month old daughter physically removed my hands from the keyboard of our laptop - you think that was a clear enough sign to turn off the computer??
I try to limit computer time to naps and after the kids go to bed, but I'm also working from home part-time so I need to check on things periodically throughout the day.
I've really felt convicted to reevaluate my usage of time recently, so I'm really enjoying your posts on the subject. Keep 'em coming!
Being at work 8 hours a day seems like a waste of time! I wish I could do more at home like you all. Maybe someday...
Crystal,
I'm also interested in Graceworks. Also the book you were reading. I definately need some organization!
Crystal, I believe this is such an important topic, especially for us stay-at-home mothers. It's so easy to get swept up in the moment and let our priorities go... My homemaking journal and planner both help me a great deal to stay on track! Even at that, it's a daily struggle and something that is given much prayer. Praise the Lord for his faithfulness to gently teach us how to make better use of our time.
I look forward to your next "Finding Time" post!
I understand what you mean about not letting your family see you on the computer, but I personally do not feel guilty about spending a little time each day doing something I enjoy. I make sure to get everything else done I need to, as far as cleaning, cooking, tending to my daughters needs, etc. But there are times I need a break and I think it is perfectly acceptable to let my daughter play by herself for a while so I can read a book or magazine or be on the computer.
Jacki: Don't worry, I wasn't saying that everyone should adopt my rule--it's just something I've found really helps *me* at this season of my life to stay on track since I'm easily distracted. :)
I use a timer for things that I get side-tracked doing. I set a LOUD timer for my alert to leave & get the kids from school.
Computer time is my weakness too. Endless interesting things to read! I use the timer for many tasks during the day and it's a huge help. I find I makes excuses about the computer though. I've taken to using it, and then turning it off. If I have to go to the trouble of turning it back on, I tend to think more about whether I really should be using it.
Jennifer
That, and I only have one daughter, and she is nearly 4. If I had two young daughters like you, I probably wouldn't have as much free-time as I do now!! :-)
But yes, it is so easy to get distracted! These days my downfall is looking at cooking websites and reading recipes.
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