"When you say yes to something nonessential, you are saying no to something essential." — Greg McKeown
If within the past month you've said something along the lines of,
I really want to be healthier BUT I don't have time to...exercise / cook / meditate / sleep...
Then friend, you need to do a time audit.
A time audit is where you sit down and get honest with yourself about how you are spending your most precious resource.
It involves documenting yourself for a period of time (ideally a week), logging your activities, and the amount of time you spend on each.
And just like keeping a food journal will give you the data you need to make informed decisions that will move you closer to your health goals,
Doing a time audit will give you the data you need to be more intentional about how you spend your days and ultimately, your life.
Because until you KNOW you don't have time (by actually tracking how you spend it),
All you are doing is making an assumption.
(And remember what you learned in school about what happens when you assume...😉)
So, if you really do want to improve your health, let's get to the bottom of this "no time" issue, shall we?
Here's how to do a time audit in 5 simple steps:
Choose Your Tracking Period: Pick a week when your schedule is fairly typical. It’s important to get an accurate representation of your usual routine, so avoid weeks with holidays, vacations, or other outliers.
Set Up Your Log: Decide how you want to track your time. You can use a physical journal, a spreadsheet, or a time-tracking app. Break your day into half-hour or one-hour increments, and be ready to jot down your activities in each time slot.
Track Every Activity: For the entire week, write down everything you do and how long it takes. Be honest and detailed—include work tasks, commuting, eating, social media, watching TV, and even those quick trips to the kitchen for a snack. The more precise you are, the more insightful your audit will be.
Review Your Data: At the end of the week, review your log. Look for patterns and identify areas where you might be spending more time than necessary. Notice any time-wasting activities or periods of low productivity. This step is crucial for uncovering hidden pockets of time you can reclaim.
Make Adjustments: Based on your findings, decide what changes you can and WANT TO make. Identify tasks that can be reduced or eliminated and blocks of time that can be better utilized. Set realistic goals for incorporating SMALL doses of healthy habits like exercise, cooking, or meditation into your schedule. Remember, even 5 minutes sprinkled in here and there can make a big difference over time.
So, the next time you say, "I wish I had more time to ____",Challenge that thought by asking yourself "How do I KNOW that I don't have enough time for that?"
And if your answer ISN'T, "I did a time audit and I can't find even 5 minutes to devote to that thing",
Well, then...you know what you need to do 😉
Stop ASSUMING. Start TRACKING.
Follow the steps above to get honest with yourself about how you’re spending your time.
And if you know you DO have the time,
BUT you still aren't using it to do the things you need or want to do, the things that you know will lead to a healthier, happier life...
Book in a call HERE to see how I can help
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