You Have More Time Than You Think

Research & Insights,

October 12, 2010

Author Laura Vanderkam, whose new book “168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think,” helps busy people find time they didn’t know they had, joined eight mom bloggers on TheMotherhood to talk about getting organized and streamlining their lives.

From outsourcing chores to writing lists of personal dreams, the participants enjoyed a lively discussion focused on finding the time both to be more productive and to pursue hobbies and interests.

Check out a summarized version of the Talk below – or read on if you have time! A BIG thank-you to Laura and all of the wise and wonderful hosts and participants for a great conversation!

Fill in the Blank: “I spend way too much time on ____________!”

Worrying! Thinking about what hasn’t been done instead of what has! (juliepippert)

I spend too much time each day searching for lost/misplaced items because I’m disorganized. It sucks. It’s where I’m at though. I have to get more organized. It’s stressful to be otherwise! (Brandie)

Brandie, maybe you can identify one area that you is the biggest time drain for you due to disorganization and allocate some time to organizing just that one area? (ProductiveMom)

The computer and personal reading time. (jneuman88)

Laundry is never ending, unless of course you are a nudist. Well, and the rest of your family is too. I accept laundry as my nemesis. (Deborah)

What Do You Want to Spend More Time Doing?

To me, time management isn’t just about shaving 5 minutes off our errands (though we’ll get to that). It’s about filling our lives with things that *deserve* our time. So a starter question: what do we want to have more of in our lives? What do we want to spend *more* time doing? Me: date night (particularly going out to eat — mmm!) with my husband. (laura vanderkam)

Date night here isn’t usually at night. It’s grocery shopping together in the afternoon or an after dinner walk, out for coffee at our favorite coffee house or even wine on the patio–sans kids. Thinking that our intention was to spend time together–as partners led to thinking why *Saturday night*? Saturday nights have never worked for us. (Deborah)

For me I want to be able to have a little time for myself without sacrificing time with my toddler… (Joy)

Spending more time with friends and learning Spanish. We sent an email out in August to 30 family/friends listing all of our open Sundays through December and started Sunday Suppers, asking them to each pick a night to join us. Dinner at 5:30, out the door by 7:30 (as it is a school night) and it’s been great. (Holland)

Making Time for Your Dreams

Laura has a great part in her book about writing down your 100 dreams. For anyone who has done this, or a similar bucket/goal list, have you ever asked your spouse or family what theirs are and how do theirs align with yours? (Holland)

We did a Summer Dreams list as a family and it worked out really well. We checked off almost everything on the list – and filled our summer hours with things that everyone enjoyed. (NancyS)

My husband and I created lists years ago and (surprisingly) had a bunch of fun doing it together … time to refresh! (Emily)

Finding Ways to Pursue Hobbies

I found when I put things on my calendar they got priority. So I schedule in “exercise” and “reading” time every day. Those are my fave hobbies. (juliepippert)

Interestingly, I find that when I take a little time in the morning to write in a journal, I am more focused on the important things in life. And more inspired to work on them. (altdotanise)

I try to concentrate my energy on a few personal passions, and then put them on the to-do list right next to the work/family ones… (laura vanderkam)

Mine (bad habit) has been diet and exercise for THE longest time. A few weeks ago I decided to change one very small thing each week and go from there. Something as simple as drinking more water one week and adding a new vegetable one week. I found that I’m less overwhelmed when it’s in tiny increments but they start to add up. (Holland)

I’m trying to get my kid more involved around the house. It’s easier to just do it myself, but they need the training and eventually it’ll free me up for other jobs they can’t do. (annaed)

Time Management

I’d say the phone is a big problem. It seems like I am always getting interrupted by a phone call from someone. I don’t feel comfortable turning it off in case it’s important but I don’t always want to answer it. (Ellen Christian)

Then don’t. I definitely screen my calls. (Deborah)

I try to direct people to my email. After a while, they “get” that I am faster on my email than my phone. (ProductiveMom)

I am able to manage my time better when I can trade skill for skill. Someone is better at the technical side of my blog/website and I’m great at declutter and streamlining home systems. (Holland)

I also love making lists… keeps me focused and I love checking those to-do items off! (Joy)

I have a detailed schedule on our refrigerator with what time everything needs to get done. Breakfast, cleanup, get dressed, snack time, nap time, etc….It is LARGE and I find that if I tell me toddlers that “The schedule says we need to take a nap now” it is more likely to be followed than if I tell them myself. (MommyInstincts)

My time saver is sleeping more! I’ve just recently discovered that I really do need eight hours of sleep a night, and the days I actually manage to get that much, I am so much more productive! (Emily)

The Book

Big primary take-away is to try logging your time for a week. Most of us have no idea where our 168 hours go, or how we allocate them to different activities. Keeping a time diary is like keeping a food journal. Keeps us honest! (laura vanderkam)

Did someone say there was a chart to download? (annaed)

You can find it here annaed http://www.my168hours.com/time-management-spreadsheet.html (Brandie)

Mom-Recommended Apps for Organization

– Remember the Milk

– Toodledo

– CalenGoo

– Cozi

– Teux Deux

The Hosts

The talented and time-conscious mom bloggers who co-hosted the Talk were:

Joy Charde, Creative Mama

Ellen Christian, Confessions of an Overworked Mom