I know you've all been anxiously awaiting another time management tip. {Okay, I know most of you are not, but one person did e-mail me.} So, this is for you:
Tip #1: Define Your Goals
Tip #2: Examine Your Time Usage
My favorite time management exercise is to get a blank "time budget" {excel spreadsheet} and fill it out, at the end of the day, every day for a week. This exercise shows how you actually use your time. So often, it is much different than how you believe you use your time. Every time I've done this I find that I'm wasting a lot of time. I also usually find that I have much more "self" time than I think I do. I usually discover that my life is out of balance. I've done this for my kids too and they are amazed to see how much time they actually get to play everyday. If you are a visual learner, like me, the color coding is a must. You can glance at your time budget and see where your priorities are.
Tip #1: Define Your Goals
Tip #2: Examine Your Time Usage
My favorite time management exercise is to get a blank "time budget" {excel spreadsheet} and fill it out, at the end of the day, every day for a week. This exercise shows how you actually use your time. So often, it is much different than how you believe you use your time. Every time I've done this I find that I'm wasting a lot of time. I also usually find that I have much more "self" time than I think I do. I usually discover that my life is out of balance. I've done this for my kids too and they are amazed to see how much time they actually get to play everyday. If you are a visual learner, like me, the color coding is a must. You can glance at your time budget and see where your priorities are.
How often do we say that our families are a priority, but then spend more time cleaning than playing with our children?
How often do we say that spirituality is a priority, but spend more time watching tv than reading our scriptures?
How often do we say that spirituality is a priority, but spend more time watching tv than reading our scriptures?
These are just examples that I came up with {definitely not from my life!!} The point of examining your time usage is to ask your self these questions:
1. Is your current life consistent with your goals and priorities? {Which you should have established with tip #1.} If not, where has your schedule been compromised and how might you incorporate your goals, values and priorities in your life?
2. Evaluate your time investments - are they paying off?
3. How much enjoyment or benefit are you getting from each activity?
4. Develop your CURRENT time budget {like I suggested above} and IDEAL time budget {like the one I previously posted}.
These tips have helped me {try} to stop being a hypocrite and start doing the things that are actually giving me a better return on my investment.
Here's proof:
2. Evaluate your time investments - are they paying off?
3. How much enjoyment or benefit are you getting from each activity?
4. Develop your CURRENT time budget {like I suggested above} and IDEAL time budget {like the one I previously posted}.
These tips have helped me {try} to stop being a hypocrite and start doing the things that are actually giving me a better return on my investment.
Here's proof:
3 comments:
Once again, this is great advise and it will help keep me motivated!! Thanks for posting your tips. I think that we all need reminders of what is important in our lives.
I definately need to manage my time better! First of all,I just need to find the energy! How do you do it? How do you do all you do and have energy? You have THREE boys, I have one and I struggle just to keep up with him all day....any tips on that?
Brittany! I love reading your blog! You have some of the most amazing tips!!
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