Time Well Spent
I remember a time when I’d finish a busy week absolutely drained and still wonder, “What did I actually achieve?” The diary would be packed, meetings back-to-back, endless tasks ticked off the list, and yet, progress felt… minimal.
One day, I decided enough was enough. I needed to know where my time was going. Was I moving the needle in my business, or just keeping busy?
That’s when I came across the idea of a Time Audit. It sounded simple enough. You track how you’re spending your time for a few days, then take a good, hard look at the results.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew something had to change.
Facing the Reality: My First Time Audit
I started by jotting down what I was doing every half hour or so. Client calls, admin tasks, email replies, strategy work, and social media updates were all documented in a notebook.
No judgement, just honest recording.
By the end of the week, I was in for a surprise.
The reality?
I was spending huge chunks of my time on things that didn’t move my business forward. I’d convinced myself they were essential, but when I saw it on paper, I couldn’t hide from the truth.
Have you ever felt like that?
You think you’re being productive because you’re always busy, but busyness doesn’t equal progress.
I realised that about 20-30% of my week was filled with low-value tasks. That was my lightbulb moment. I needed a better way to determine where my energy should be directed.
Making Decisions: Do, Delegate, Delete
Once I faced the reality of my time audit, I needed a plan. I started asking myself three simple questions for each task:
Do: Does this really need me to do it? Is it strategic, creative, or relationship-based? If yes, it stayed on my list.
Delegate: Can someone else do this just as well? or even better? My mindset shifted here. I’d always thought delegation meant losing control. Actually, it meant gaining time to focus on the things only I could do.
Delete: Can I stop doing this? This was the toughest. Some tasks seemed important just because I’d always done them. But, I learned to let go.
Changing my approach wasn’t easy. Letting go of tasks I’d always handled myself felt uncomfortable. But when I saw the results — more time for strategic thinking, more energy to focus on growth — it felt like a breakthrough.
Now, I’m intentional with my time. I block off dedicated chunks for high-impact work. I delegate more without guilt. And I’ve stopped saying yes to meetings that don’t add value.
A Simple Template That Works
If you’re curious to try this for yourself, here’s a template that helped me (Download it here). Write down what you’re doing every 30 minutes for a few days. Then, go through each activity and label it (here’s an example):
Time Block: 9:00-9:30
Activity: Responding To Emails
Value (High/Medium/Low): Medium
Action (Do/Delegate/Delete): Delegate
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being honest with yourself.
Ready to Take Back Control?
Since making this shift, I’ve noticed a real change.
I’m not just busy.
I’m productive.
I’m doing the work that makes a difference.
If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed with your workload, it might be time to rethink how you’re spending your time.
Let’s discuss how you can make that change.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call with me today.
We’ll explore your current challenges and determine how we can collaborate to make your time work more effectively for you.
Have a brilliant week!