If you want to spend your time more effectively, you need to know how you’re using it now. Use a spreadsheet, and there are plenty of time-tracking apps that can assist you figure out where the time goes. You can tally up the categories and comprehend what the 168 hours we all have weekly resemble for you.
As with a food journal, some things may be apparent. A day where you consume nothing but French french fries is troublesome for weight-loss purposes. Similarly, if you invest four hours day-to-day surfing the web, and then question why you can never get finished with your work before 7 p.m., this suggests an answer.
But other things need a bit more digging. Here are the very best three concerns to ask when taking a look at where your time goes.

1. What do I like many about my schedule?
This is the life you have actually opted to live, so presumably something’s working for you. What makes you smile? What methods do you want to share because they’re just so amazing? I like that even throughout the busiest weeks, I make time to workout. I like that my schedule affords me the flexibility to consume lunch with my kids. Commemorate what’s working for you, since knowing that some great stuff is occurring makes the busiest person feel in control of her life. If you are in business, being available to answer client calls even during working hours can be difficult. Having a great call answering service take on this responsibility 24 hours/ day 365/365 will help you manage your time more effectively.

2. What do I want to do more of with my time?
Prior to you begin hunting down the little time wasters, focus instead on what would make life more enjoyable and significant to you and the people you care about. Make a good long list. What projects would you like to spend more time on at work? What about in your personal life? I wish to invest more time getting together with friends; understanding that helps me search for opportunities to make it happen.

3. Exactly what do I wish to spend less time doing?
We all have our characteristics. I invest too much time surfing the web under the guise of it being “research.” Take a look at your schedule and see exactly what makes you embarrassed or unhappy. Exists a reason these jobs exist, or could you find a way to minimize them, or avoid them completely? At what time of day are you most likely to lose control of your time? Plan ahead and shut out that time for something better. Coffee with a colleague beats worthless web surfing any day.

Ideas from a post by Laura Vanderkam