Everyone has fifteen minutes
I’ve been spouting this theory all over town; to clients, friends and colleagues. I’m convinced that anyone who says there “just isn’t enough time” to do any of a list of things they’ve been meaning to get to, has it, they just don’t know where it is.
There are a couple factors, of course. The people who claim they don’t have time may, in fact, not want to spend time doing what they say they have no time for. That’s fine, and another issue entirely. Finding time is for those who have something they really want to do — but can’t manage to fit in.
I keep saying that everyone has fifteen minutes . . . that everyone can find fifteen minutes a day to do something they want to do. If that means getting up fifteen minutes earlier, so be it, but before you take that drastic measure, account for the way you’re spending the 24 you get right off the bat.
Take three random sample days; a weekend day, a midweek day and whichever weekday is usually your busiest (Mondays are favorites for this.) Track the time you spend these days. That’s right; write it down. Here’s what a day might look like:
- Sleeping–8 hours
- Meals –2 hours
- Working – 9.5 hours
- Housekeeping (including cooking, cleaning, laundry) – 1.5 hours
- Exercise — .5 hours
- Leisure time (reading, family, movies) — 2.5
When I look at this sample day, I can easily see where I can save time. I need my eight hours of sleep so that’s non-negotiable, but I’m sure I can get my work day down to nine, if not eight hours. Maybe 8.5 is a good goal to shoot for. An hour and a half of housekeeping is a lot in one day, if that’s every day. I could probably delegate some of that to save time.
When you’ve tracked your time for three days, evaluate how you’re spending it — what percentage of the time is spent engaged in rewarding activity? What part is sheer drudgery? How do you find better balance? Start to think of ways to reduce the high count time alotments and identifying where you might be able to ask for — and receive — some help.
Remember, sleep is non-negotiable. You might not need eight hours like I do, but don’t subtract from the time you need to stay healthy and well rested.
There are little tactics I’m employing to get time back in the “how I want to spend it” category. Recently, I started bypassing reception on the phone system at the office. While I enjoy talking to admin staff, over the course of a day those chats add up — to maybe 10 minutes or more. I want that time for other things (sorry G. and J., nothing personal).
I’m streamlining other tasks, too but more importantly, I’m jealously guarding the short amount of time I get with family and friends. There are times when it’s entirely appropriate to give up sleep (or certainly the dreaded housekeeping!) to spend time with people you love.
Where will you find your fifteen minutes?
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:16 am
Since I work from home, I find my 15 minutes here and there. If I’m printing something for work, I take a moment during the printing to throw in a load of laundry. Or, while my files are backing up, I’ll run the vacuum or sweep the kitchen. Doing the housework in small bursts here and there gives me larger chunks of time later for volunteer work or for spending time with my children.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Okay, so you’ve guilted me into accepting that I do have at least fifteen minutes, but someone please tell me how I get over the guilt about using that fifteen minutes to do something other than play with my (small) children? Even though I only work part time and spend almost all of their waking time playing/sightseeing/learning/enjoying with them, I sometimes feel guilty about running to the restroom by myself…and if you could hear my 19-month old shriek and pound on the door, you’d understand!
Yeah, yeah, I know the whole story about “you’ve gotta take care of yourself,” but when I do get a few minutes free, I’m frantically doing the 10,000 things I’ve ignored to be with the girls. We do have to have clean underwear (the lowest standard I will allow myself to slide to) - and we can’t keep buying it!
Am I just a pathetic, guilt-ridden mom who needs to accept that my children will inevitably be in some form of counseling someday no matter how many times I sing “Wheels on the Bus” with them? Do I just need sleep? A good margarita and a Jimmy Buffett concert? HELP!!
June 5th, 2007 at 6:57 am
Ms. Mistie: You’re crazy! And MJ, so are you! You both are amazing moms that have dedicated themselves more than most that I know. Here’s something that Tony and I are tossing around…a monthly date on our anniversary. (Although we don’t have children, we’re always running here or there and rarely have time to eat together, so this is how we’re doing it. Plus, I love to spend time with friends, but an outing with friends just doesn’t substitute for the quality one-on-one time that can be had with a simple meal. Shoot, even Subway would work!)
June 5th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Mistie — this blog is a guilt free zone. Seriously, that guilt isn’t getting anything done! It’s just making you feel bad and personally, I’m against that. So yes, fix a margarita, turn on the Buffett and let it go. Cherish what little time you get to yourself at this stage in your kids’ lives. We all know there’s not much of it and you need every minute to make it through to when they’re (gasp) in middle school (so far the scariest era of a kid’s life, in my opinion).
Kristin — love the idea of anniversary date night — very smart and a good practice to establish early on and keep to it!