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when matt and i first started the biz we were working from 9am until 2am, daily. we were struggling with controlling our workload and the thought of free time was only a joke. on a whim, we ordered the audio book (we didn’t have time for reading for goodness sake!), ‘the four hour work week’ by tim ferris– we figured that if we could reclaim even one hour of our day that we would be thrilled. so as we stared into our computer screens, editing, answering emails and researching, tim’s voice droned on in the background telling us to stop exactly what we were doing. annoying. yes, but we were listening and what he was saying eventually started to click for us. we created an ambitious 9-5 schedule and became increasingly excited about how much our lives could change. although things can get in the way of the schedule (i’m talking to you, october!); the hour we set aside in the middle of the day for ourselves is invaluable- we call it personal hour and it rocks our world.
we get messages on twitter, facebook and via email about our ‘personal hour’ so i decided to explain it all at once here on the blog. some people seem to think it’s a great idea, some are interested but unsure and some think the idea of spending an hour a day to themselves in 2008 is absurd. i know you’re busy, trust me, i am too, but if spending time for yourself could mean better efficiency in getting done all of that work you have to do, wouldn’t you just have to try it? it’s possible. thanks to tim ferris’ straightforward advice and an article in real simple, i came up with a quick and easy way to help me create my personal hour. i’d love for you to grab a sheet of paper and give it a shot!
.let’s dream.
what makes you happy and relaxed? what do you wish you could spend more time on? what soothes you and makes you feel refreshed? is it reading (my personal fave!), or volunteering or being outdoors? or maybe it’s taking a bath, or diving into a hobby (mmm, cooking) or indulging in a manicure? spend a little time creating a list of as many of these activities as you can imagine.
.reality hits.
now make a list of what you actually spend your time on. while at work and while at home. be specific. break things down. separate email from facebook and the treadmill from the tv. a lot of things on this list will be required for your job and your life- write those things too. if you have trouble with this list real simple recommends keeping a time-diary for a few days to record what you’re really up to during the day.
.give it up.
think about how long you spend on certain activities on the reality list, then compare the activities taking your time to what you’d rather be doing (the dream list). can you cut anything from the reality list to create some time for the dream list? when i look at it that way i’d love to cut the amount of time i spend watching tv in exchange for some fresh air and a good book! is there anything on your list you can save time on by doing a couple times a day and knocking it out all at once instead of little bits every five minutes? hum…email? google reader? those hit me where it hurts; clearly i don’t have this all perfected yet! is there a way to limit distractions while you’re working on your required work? maybe gchat doesn’t need to be on all day or maybe the tv doesn’t need to be on while you’re cooking dinner; would that help you be more efficient?
.just do it.
hopefully by now you’ve realized a few things that can help you recapture some of your time. i know i’ve realized some new things just by writing this! now it’s time to be intentional about the dream list. take the hour you’ve created and use it to really refresh and energize by enjoying something off of your first list! it works best for me if i take my hour at a specific time every day but it might be different for everyone. if this seems to out of reach maybe you could start by enjoying a personal hour twice a week or just on the weekends but once you start, i have to warn you, it’s addicting!
i hope this has been at least a teensy bit helpful! i’d love to hear your ideas for reclaiming time; i think we can all agree we’re always in need of more! best of luck to you!