Is it me, or is this year rushing past even faster than usual? Time is fast becoming one of the most precious commodities of the 21st Century — yet if I was to ask you to describe how you spend your time, would you be able to tell me?
We complain of being 'too busy' but what exactly are we doing? In the past couple of weeks I've found myself getting to the end of the working day and wondering what on earth I've been so busy doing all day. Am I using my time wisely? Am I being productive? Are my activities moving me towards what I want to achieve and what I hold to be important?
In an attempt to answer these questions I've decided to conduct an experiment — and if any of the above sounds familiar to you, I invite you to join me.
For the next week I'm going to keep a detailed Time Log in which I'll make as precise a record as I can of everything I do during the day. Then, at the end of each day, and the week, I'll do an analysis of — literally — where my time has gone.
For those who struggle with managing their time this exercise is a crucial first step to regaining control. I know what you're probably thinking: "I haven't got TIME to do a time log...!" While it's true that it adds one more thing to your to-do list, hopefully the insights you gain will be worth it. The first time I did this exercise I was shocked to discover that I was spending 2-3 hours each day just on emails and, even worse, that I was typically working 10-12 hour days. Well that had to stop. The point was: until I completed the Time Log and saw it in black and white I didn't realise how much time I was wasting.
So, try keeping a Time Log for the next week. Keep as accurate and detailed a record as you can of everything you do each day. Once you know exactly where your time goes, you will be in a far better position to take control and make some clear choices about what activities are serving you well and which ones you might want to consider reigning in, or even dropping altogether.
Hi Annabel,
Your last post is too, too true! Along with time logs, another resource I've recently discovered that freed up oodles of time is GTD ('Getting Things Done') by David Allen:
http://www.davidco.com/
And my favourite of his books is 'Making It All Work'.
With every good wish to you and all your readers x
Posted by: Fran | June 10, 2011 at 11:13 AM
Great suggestion, Fran - thanks. I've heard good things about GTD too.
Posted by: Annabel | June 10, 2011 at 05:28 PM
Thank you for this blog, can't wait to find to find out how my time is actually being spent.
Posted by: Christy | July 18, 2011 at 06:24 AM
Yes - this is a very interesting and revealing process. I'd love to know how you get on and what you find out ...
Posted by: Annabel | July 18, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Nice suggestion!! :) Using an efficient time management system takes away many of your administrative headaches and enables you to concentrate on completing tasks faster.
Posted by: Adam Vogas - AstrowSuite | January 13, 2012 at 02:23 PM