Then it’s time to figure out how you’re spending it now! I’ll be doing a 7-day (168-hour) time tracking challenge over the next week, starting on the 11th. I’ll post my logs here and do some discussions on Facebook too. If you’d like to play along, you can sign up here for motivational emails, and you can download a spreadsheet here.
I’ve been logging my time continuously for the past 9 months (!) so I can say that while it takes a little bit of time to track time, it doesn’t take that much time. I’d estimate the burden at just a few minutes a day. The payoff is having a pretty clear vision of what life looks like in practice, not just in theory. Also, if you know you’re going to be sharing the logs in any way, the accountability can inspire some new thinking. I just scheduled a massage for next week because I want that to be on my log!
Here’s to using the 8784* hours of 2016 in pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.
*With Feb 29 upping the total from the usual 8760.
Photo: I’m digging this whole adult coloring book trend.
I’ve been tracking ym time in January and I am hoping it will be really useful.
Any chance you are going to read/review Cal Newport’s new book “Deep Work”? I’m interested in opinions on the subject matter.
Also, are the adult coloring books relaxing? Maybe that is a hobby I could get into…
@beth – Cal’s book just arrived today! I’ll see if I can write something about it soon. And yes, coloring is relaxing. You just let the mind wander…
I also love the coloring books, though I prefer the less-intricate ones as I like to finish coloring in one sitting. We have “family coloring time” occasionally. And sometimes I can even get my hubby to participate 🙂
@ARC – ooh, family coloring time. Maybe I’ll suggest that!
I agree on all counts. My daughters (particularly my older one) and I snuggle in bed and color together, sometimes the same picture. I have some beautiful recently published adult coloring books but I don’t like them as much as some of the ones I purchased years earlier. The new ones are intricate and beautiful – maybe a little too much.
You gotta get some good quality pencils! I’m a frugal person, but I will attest that my Prismacolor coloring pencils were totally worth it and DO make a difference (I use them with my Harry Potter coloring book!) upgrade your pencils, and pass the Crayolas on to your kids. You won’t regret it!
Thanks for the spreadsheet. I’m going to track the next week and see where my time is going. I have a book due mid-February and some challenges: husband away one week and nanny away the next. It’s going to be a ‘cracker’ of a month as my British friends would say.