Time audits are a tool to provide objectivity to where your time goes.
We can use them to understand where our time goes.
Many use them with the goal of increasing productivity.
However, there are many other patterns they can be leveraged to detect.
How we feel during different activities.
When each day our energy levels are higher or lower.
How much of our work is deep work vs. busy work.
Determining if we should outsource a project.
Half of us (49%) have never done a time audit and only 20% do them regularly (monthly). Source.
My Story
I first heard about a time audit when reading Laura Vanderkam’s book 168 Hours.
That was about 10 years ago, and I’ve completed an audit once or twice a year since.
I started an audit in April this year and have been tracking ever since.
The purpose of my audit has been different at various points in my life.
Deep work. Finding space for projects. Inefficiencies. Energy. Understanding patterns.
There is no magic format to the audit.
Mine lists time in ½ hour increments in column 1 and days of the week in the next 7 columns.
Over the years, I’ve started to color code the time to see the patterns.
Colors for activities – Meetings, email, deep work, household chores, relaxation, social media, etc.
No time audits are alike. We make them our own.
For those who haven’t given the time audit a try, I recommend a week or two.
The insights and patterns uncovered will likely help refine where the time goes.
Your Turn
Have you ever tried a time audit?
What insights were you looking for?
Could you start an audit today? What would you measure – productivity, emotions, energy?