Hey savvy leaders! Welcome to episode 57!
Time.
It’s the most valuable asset, right? Because once it passes by, we can never get it back. And this applies to everything. Relationships, our work, checking off a bucket list, holding a grudge, opportunities, and of course, time with our kids.
So many of us have once, or more than a few times, said “There simply aren’t enough hours in the day.” Time is literally one thing you cannot manage or change. It ticks by, second by second, at its own selfish rate, and there is not one thing we can do about it.
And yet most of us have also likely been heard saying any one of these phrases about time:
“Time goes so fast!”
“It drags on!”
“I can’t believe how much time this is taking.”
“I totally lost track of time.”
And yet, it’s the most predictable, even, constant in our life. Second by second, it ticks and ticks. There are no surprises. The rate at which it truly moves never changes.
Today I’m asking you to take inventory of your time. Use this exercise to assess where your time is going. It’s incredibly revealing. It’s also the single best strategy to “get more time in your day.” I promise you’ll find some!
This is a totally different topic than time management. And we all know we can’t manage time. We can only manage our priorities and choices. I address this in a previous episode, episode 7.
I offer how to change your thinking about time. I give you four strategies to help maximize the way you think about using your time. Episode 7 is What Is More Important Than Time Management In Your Network Marketing Business? You can grab a listen at crazybigdreams.biz/7.
Today is about taking inventory. Checking in with how your time is being spent. If you truly want more time in the day, this is how you find it!
Ok, so this is a two-part exercise. The first part is to use a tracking sheet to record what you’re doing in 30-minute increments. You’re going to do this for a 24-hour period over 7 days. Every hour, or 30-minute segment, will be identified. You’ll write it down or type it in, doesn’t matter.
You can use excel. You don’t have to. You can simply grab a notebook with lined paper. It doesn’t matter how you capture it. It matters that you simply have a way to record.
If you want to use a blank template from a planner system you already have or if you create a blank template, go ahead a make 7 copies so you have one for every day of the week. Again, it should break down into 30-minute increments over a 24-hour period.
Similar to a food log or financial budget, you’re going to record what you do with your time as it unfolds. Not prior to it happening. Not like you would use a planner. Ok.
Because let’s face it. We may have “customer or team follow-up” time planned in our schedule but end up on social media for that dedicated time. No shame. It happens to the best of us.
Writing out a schedule and actually executing it are two different things. I know you’re out there. You’re not alone!
So, as your day unfolds, you’ll capture how it was spent. It’s that simple. Everything from walking the dog to time spent driving, to time spent in the Starbucks drive-through and time spent sleeping, and everything in between. Everything. Because finding more time in the day needs this level of detail. Trust me.
Ok, you have your homework for this week. Click over to Instagram @yourcrazybigdreams and hit me with your questions.
In episode 58, I share what you’re going to do with the results of this exercise. So go get to work and we’ll regroup in 7 days.
I’m so excited!
The best is yet to come! Always.
