How to Find Out What You’re doing with your 168 hours
When you’re busy juggling a 9-5 and family responsibilities finding time for a side hustle can seem like an insurmountable challenge and yet people do it, and so can you. If you’ve tried time and again to find space in your schedule for a side hustle, but it just isn’t happening then I’ve got the answer. It’s going to help you find out where that space is and learn how you’re currently wasting it.
My favourite time management expert, Laura Vanderkam, rightly says that time is a finite resource, but how we use it is within our control. To truly manage your time you need to understand what you are currently doing with it. And the way to do this is by tracking your time.
Time tracking involves documenting how you spend every waking hour. It might sound tedious, but it's a powerful tool for gaining clarity. Laura suggests dedicating a week to this practice, recording your activities in detail. From work commitments and family time to leisure and side hustle pursuits.
What you discover may surprise you. Doing this exercise will unveil patterns, highlight time wasting and show you where you can make better use of your time. You will be able to identify pockets of time that can be spent on your side hustle without compromising other essential aspects of your life.
Once you’ve obtained those valuable insights from time tracking, you can align how you spend your time with the goals you want to achieve in your side hustle. The key is not just to manage time, but to manage it so you can make progress in your goals. With a full-time job and family responsibilities, you need to work hard to prioritise your side hustle.
Ask yourself: What truly matters to you? How can you structure your time to reflect those priorities? When you’re side hustling it’s about doing small daily activities which help you move forward in your side hustle. This doesn't have to mean sacrificing family time or neglecting self-care. It's about deciding what truly deserves your time and attention.
In her book "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think," Laura Vanderkam talks about the concept of the 168-hour time budget. We all have168 hours in a week and each of those provides an opportunity to shape your life deliberately. To create a life you love and a side hustle you enjoy. By allocating time to the different areas of your life, you can create a visual representation of your priorities e.g. an hour a day on your side hustle, eight hours on your day job, eight hours sleeping, two hours cooking and eating, an hour on personal care, an hour commuting and three hours family time.
We all know that life is unpredictable, especially when you’re juggling a side hustle with a full-time job and family responsibilities. The key lies in being flexible and adapting your time budget when unexpected challenges arise. This doesn't mean abandoning your side hustle; instead, it's about navigating the ebb and flow of life while staying true to your goals.
In the pursuit of time management, perfection is not the goal. Laura Vanderkam advocates for celebrating progress and recognising that each day is an opportunity for improvement. Remember, small, consistent efforts compound over time, leading to amazing transformations.
Through the practice of time tracking, setting priorities, and embracing flexibility, you can embark on a journey towards achieving your side hustle dreams. It's not about having more time; it's about making the most of the time you have. Start today, and watch your side hustle flourish.