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Keeping a Time Management Log

Just as a check register reminds us of how we have spent our money; a time management log tells how we have spent our time. This is useful for several reasons. First, when we are just starting to budget or schedule our time, it may take a few hits and misses to see how much time needs to be allocated to each area of our life. The work at home mom's schedule will change as her children's schedule changes so there may be times when adjustments have to be made.

For example, we may have a work schedule that we're not able to keep because of unforeseen events. A time management log will gauge how much time we really are working as well as how much time we are spending on other activities. Just as we sometimes have to adjust our budget for unintended expenses, such a log will be useful as an accurate record of what really took place.

While a planner or a calendar keeps a record of what we plan or intend to do, a time management log is useful to see if we are following up and where we may need to improve. In addition, a time management log can be an accurate tool for the work at home mom to use to ascertain how much she is making on an hourly basis. Women who work at home tend to feel like they work all the time and that's because much of the time, they do. However, in order to separate your professional work from your personal and family work, good recordkeeping is a must.

A time management log is useful to point out potential problems before they materialize. For example, when we're at home all the time with our kids, it's easy to think we spend a lot of time with them but merely being in the same home doesn't necessarily mean they are getting our attention on a one-on-one basis. Therefore, logging the time you spend with each child and what type of activities you did can help you maintain a sense of balance.

The same goes for our work schedule and personal time. While our day planners and calendars are often full of impressive looking appointments and to-do-lists, a time management log tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It is an invaluable tool for managing our time both personal and professional.

Often, especially in the beginning of our time management experience, we grossly underestimate the time it takes to do all kinds of things, from cooking and eating dinner to reading a story and putting the kids to bed. How long did it really take to edit that writing assignment and put it to bed? By keeping a time management log, we can see the reality of how long things take and budget our time accordingly.

No matter how resolute we are about heading off interruptions, we are going to get interrupted in our daily personal and professional lives. Tivo and the DVR have made it possible to rewind our favorite television show to be watched later when we are inadvertently interrupted but our watches won't rewind to give back the missed work time. A time management log that records all deviations and interruptions can pinpoint how and when we are getting interrupted or simply deviating from our own schedule. Once we see what is really taking up our time, we'll best know how to proceed with a more realistic plan.

As you can see, a time management log is an important time management tool that can show you what is working, what isn't and what needs to be done about it.