I ended up with 2.5 hours left over (including 6 hours of exercise of week). This exercise taught me a few things:
1. Having kids really does take a lot of your time and that's ok. That's the life I made, so lean into it and love it.
2. I really don't have time to do ALL the things in life I could want. I can only have so many hobbies at this stage. some things just have to wait until a new phase in life. I need to pick those things that are most important to me now, and do them when and where I can. I've picked reading, exercise, and piano. The other stuff will have to wait.
I think that's one of the important lessons I've learned from doing a time audit like this. Sometimes I can feel guilty about not doing all of the things people say you "should" be doing. This practice made me face what I can actually fit in a day and let everything else go for now. It doesn't mean that I won't ever get to them but that in this phase of my life I'm choosing to focus on other things
A bit off subject, but my wife and I were visiting the Parthenon Museum today in Athens. Going up to the 2nd and 3rd floors were 2 escalators with a wide staircase between them. She asked me if we were going to be 2 percenters today and commenced walking up the stairs. After picking my jaw off the floor, I followed! And we were 2 percenters after watching hundreds of people queue up for the escalators.
There is this thing that happens, especially as a spouse and parent, where you’re almost on a time retainer to be available for your family. And for some reason it’s easier to be on standby just browsing your phone than starting a new project or workout. Where just *being* there (instead of let’s say out on a ruck) is necessary and additive to the vibes of our home. Anyone else?
Totally get it. I try to fill retainer time with dishes, laundry, cleaning, taking out trash, etc. They are important for the maintenance of any home, and most of them are "low-commitment" tasks that I can bail from easily if necessary. Also, I can usually perform tasks like that right around my family. If we are playing in the living room, I'll dust a bookshelf or run the vacuum for a second. If we are in the kitchen, I'll load the dishwasher or prep snacks.
Doing all of that in tiny chunks helps free up a pretty consistent 30-45 minutes a day I can use to work out if I'm not able to do so in the morning. But it's also necessary to balance the household tasks with intentional family time, because I really don't want to be the kind of dad that was always cleaning and working anytime the family was just trying to enjoy being together.
It's a constant juggle, and I feel you. Early mornings have become my absolute best, least obtrusive time to work out/pursue hobbies uninterrupted, but I also know sleep is a constant battle as well with kids around, and that factors heavily into one's ability to rise early.
Good luck out there! Let me know what works for you.
My hubs tends to go to bed way earlier than I want to, so I do tend to go by his schedule. However, I will do stretches, read and sometimes, I will do some of my art Journaling then go to bed. This time of year, in Maine, it stays light longer so, even tho he's gone up to bed, I take my dog for a mile walk first, then go up to read, stretch etc. Harder with kiddos in the mix for sure tho. Mine is all grown up now.❤️
The time audit was a real eye opener. I already exercise plenty during the week, but I often whine/complain I don't have time to myself (for art, reading, etc.). Apparently, I DO have the time - I'm just wasting quite a bit each week. Thanks for this!
I borrowed Laura Vanderkam’s ebook on this from the library several years back. Ironically, it returned itself to the library, unread, because I never found time to read it. LOL
I think the problem is that sometimes we waste time throughout the day on social media and YouTube videos and other unnecessary garbage, but it’s easy to fit those into 5 minute blocks. Sure, they add up to embarrassing amounts when you get your report at the end of the week. But it’s harder to run a mile here, lift some there, etc. Not making excuses, I do get in my workouts… but not always as much as I’d like. And there are other times where I’ll make a choice to not run and maybe do something less intense because I’m like, “Well, I don’t have time to do that workout AND shower AND dry my hair after.” :-)
Laura Vanderkam has time tracking sheets on her website in 15 or 30 min increments. It’s amazing to track your time for a week or two. I did in 2018 and immediately signed off Facebook for good. People find time abstract because we don’t know what we’re doing with those extra hours noted here - maybe a date night, time with the kids. But most of it is spent on idle nonsense. I happen to think we all need some idle nonsense time - scrolling, reading TV etc. Just not the 3-4 hours a day most people spend on it.
Like many are saying, this excersise makes you realize what you prioritize and value. It also calls your own bad self on the carpet to straighten up and fly right! It's ok to have a lazy, chill day once in a while. Mentally we need that too. But I agree , we most of the time, have time to excersise we just need to do it!. I also think we tend to over complicate excersise so we don't have to do it. We really just need to strap on some weight, or not, and get out for a walk! Nothing fancy! Also, having a fairly high energy dog helps you get out a lot😅❤️
I've done this exercise a few times and believe in it, I do always find the time and it forces me to reject the "I don't have time" excuse.
The only part I'll take issue with, or maybe give people some grace on, is the time with kids and family. Maybe 20 hours was enough for that guy. For me I want to maximize the time I spend with my kids and my wife, so in a lot of weeks, my "reserve time" goes to them. TLDR: there is no cap on time spent with family
I started doing something similar back in January. I really like Ali Abdaal's method of creating the "Ideal Week". He has a video on it and a template to plan out every half hour of your week. The idea is that your time expands to fill whatever you give it so it makes you decide what is most important and make time for it
172. Numbers don’t lie. But I weave some magic in there. When I did this I got depressed. But I am making it work for 4 hours a week anyway. Obviously I am sacrificing somewhere. Probably the same magic as when I got my bills paid when I was in college. I juggled this and that and made it happen. I suspect this is a skill that carries over. LOL
Thank you for this article and this reality check. Awareness is a great step to making a change....love the references to how this is applicable to so many walks of life.
Yup, not having the time is more often than not an excuse for not having the interest, desire, commitment. Like the adage offers, show me your calendar and I'll tell you your values. We make time for what we value.
I ended up with 2.5 hours left over (including 6 hours of exercise of week). This exercise taught me a few things:
1. Having kids really does take a lot of your time and that's ok. That's the life I made, so lean into it and love it.
2. I really don't have time to do ALL the things in life I could want. I can only have so many hobbies at this stage. some things just have to wait until a new phase in life. I need to pick those things that are most important to me now, and do them when and where I can. I've picked reading, exercise, and piano. The other stuff will have to wait.
I think that's one of the important lessons I've learned from doing a time audit like this. Sometimes I can feel guilty about not doing all of the things people say you "should" be doing. This practice made me face what I can actually fit in a day and let everything else go for now. It doesn't mean that I won't ever get to them but that in this phase of my life I'm choosing to focus on other things
A bit off subject, but my wife and I were visiting the Parthenon Museum today in Athens. Going up to the 2nd and 3rd floors were 2 escalators with a wide staircase between them. She asked me if we were going to be 2 percenters today and commenced walking up the stairs. After picking my jaw off the floor, I followed! And we were 2 percenters after watching hundreds of people queue up for the escalators.
Another easy place to find more time: look at your mobile phone utilization by application type. That’s one time audit that won’t lie.
There is this thing that happens, especially as a spouse and parent, where you’re almost on a time retainer to be available for your family. And for some reason it’s easier to be on standby just browsing your phone than starting a new project or workout. Where just *being* there (instead of let’s say out on a ruck) is necessary and additive to the vibes of our home. Anyone else?
Totally get it. I try to fill retainer time with dishes, laundry, cleaning, taking out trash, etc. They are important for the maintenance of any home, and most of them are "low-commitment" tasks that I can bail from easily if necessary. Also, I can usually perform tasks like that right around my family. If we are playing in the living room, I'll dust a bookshelf or run the vacuum for a second. If we are in the kitchen, I'll load the dishwasher or prep snacks.
Doing all of that in tiny chunks helps free up a pretty consistent 30-45 minutes a day I can use to work out if I'm not able to do so in the morning. But it's also necessary to balance the household tasks with intentional family time, because I really don't want to be the kind of dad that was always cleaning and working anytime the family was just trying to enjoy being together.
It's a constant juggle, and I feel you. Early mornings have become my absolute best, least obtrusive time to work out/pursue hobbies uninterrupted, but I also know sleep is a constant battle as well with kids around, and that factors heavily into one's ability to rise early.
Good luck out there! Let me know what works for you.
My hubs tends to go to bed way earlier than I want to, so I do tend to go by his schedule. However, I will do stretches, read and sometimes, I will do some of my art Journaling then go to bed. This time of year, in Maine, it stays light longer so, even tho he's gone up to bed, I take my dog for a mile walk first, then go up to read, stretch etc. Harder with kiddos in the mix for sure tho. Mine is all grown up now.❤️
The time audit was a real eye opener. I already exercise plenty during the week, but I often whine/complain I don't have time to myself (for art, reading, etc.). Apparently, I DO have the time - I'm just wasting quite a bit each week. Thanks for this!
I borrowed Laura Vanderkam’s ebook on this from the library several years back. Ironically, it returned itself to the library, unread, because I never found time to read it. LOL
I think the problem is that sometimes we waste time throughout the day on social media and YouTube videos and other unnecessary garbage, but it’s easy to fit those into 5 minute blocks. Sure, they add up to embarrassing amounts when you get your report at the end of the week. But it’s harder to run a mile here, lift some there, etc. Not making excuses, I do get in my workouts… but not always as much as I’d like. And there are other times where I’ll make a choice to not run and maybe do something less intense because I’m like, “Well, I don’t have time to do that workout AND shower AND dry my hair after.” :-)
Totally get the whole workout/shower/hair blowdry timing thing😅😅
Laura Vanderkam has time tracking sheets on her website in 15 or 30 min increments. It’s amazing to track your time for a week or two. I did in 2018 and immediately signed off Facebook for good. People find time abstract because we don’t know what we’re doing with those extra hours noted here - maybe a date night, time with the kids. But most of it is spent on idle nonsense. I happen to think we all need some idle nonsense time - scrolling, reading TV etc. Just not the 3-4 hours a day most people spend on it.
What would you say about the role ‘value’ plays in how people spend their time?
Is saying ‘I don’t have time to exercise’ really ‘I don’t value exercising enough’. We always have time for the things we value the most.
It’s helpful to do a time audit, but then what?
If the value hasn’t changed, then all the time in the world won’t change anything?
Another thing, does duration trump intensity? If you work harder, can you get away with training for less time?
If time were the issue, everyone would have gotten jacked during the height of COVID.
Great piece! Love the simple questionnaire and how enlightening it can be.
I definitely was more jacked during covid 😅😅
❤️👊🏻
Like many are saying, this excersise makes you realize what you prioritize and value. It also calls your own bad self on the carpet to straighten up and fly right! It's ok to have a lazy, chill day once in a while. Mentally we need that too. But I agree , we most of the time, have time to excersise we just need to do it!. I also think we tend to over complicate excersise so we don't have to do it. We really just need to strap on some weight, or not, and get out for a walk! Nothing fancy! Also, having a fairly high energy dog helps you get out a lot😅❤️
I've done this exercise a few times and believe in it, I do always find the time and it forces me to reject the "I don't have time" excuse.
The only part I'll take issue with, or maybe give people some grace on, is the time with kids and family. Maybe 20 hours was enough for that guy. For me I want to maximize the time I spend with my kids and my wife, so in a lot of weeks, my "reserve time" goes to them. TLDR: there is no cap on time spent with family
Wow... I have 7 hours a week free before exercise.... Still get more than 5 hours in (at the expense of other things), but wow - what an eye opener!
I started doing something similar back in January. I really like Ali Abdaal's method of creating the "Ideal Week". He has a video on it and a template to plan out every half hour of your week. The idea is that your time expands to fill whatever you give it so it makes you decide what is most important and make time for it
172. Numbers don’t lie. But I weave some magic in there. When I did this I got depressed. But I am making it work for 4 hours a week anyway. Obviously I am sacrificing somewhere. Probably the same magic as when I got my bills paid when I was in college. I juggled this and that and made it happen. I suspect this is a skill that carries over. LOL
Thank you for this article and this reality check. Awareness is a great step to making a change....love the references to how this is applicable to so many walks of life.
Yup, not having the time is more often than not an excuse for not having the interest, desire, commitment. Like the adage offers, show me your calendar and I'll tell you your values. We make time for what we value.