I Use My Stopwatch To Create Better Time Management

I am a stay-at-home mom, a work-from-home employee, and I do side-biz things.

Using the stopwatch on my watch has helped me organize my time and better perceive it.

We humans have a misconception of time. We generally believe that time is set for us – that it exists externally. 

Time is of our own making and lives within our own perception.

We humans love measurement. We love to assess and use that assessment (most often numbers) as a way to prove something. It’s a great thing! 

The way humans created time and continue to use time for our advantage is an amazing thing. Measurement keeps us on our path, measurement helps keep us in control.

It’s a guideline, however, not the controller. 

We often feel like we are controlled by time. You gotta be here, do this, do that. Schedule this, schedule that, then show up. It can be overwhelming, especially when you have a busy schedule and lots of goals you want to achieve.

We all have things that are important to us. We all have things that we value and require our attention. 

A practice that has helped me take control of my time, instead of it being in control of me, is to better familiarize myself with how long it actually takes me to do something. 

My stoptimer helps me see clearer. It helps me recognize that tasks that seem so daunting are actually not what they seem. 

For instance, doing the dishes only takes me 2 minutes. Putting on makeup takes me 15 minutes, work assignment, 30 minutes. Writing a blog post, 60 minutes.

I also employ habit stacking. When I put on makeup, I listen to a book or watch a TV show. Looking good and consuming educational and/or entertaining content fulfills me.  

Habit Stacking is a topic all of its own. If you’re curious, read Atomic Habits.* by James Clear.

Then, once I know how long it actually takes me to do certain things, I can plan better. I can relax more. 

Knowing how my time is spent overall gives me freedom to focus and not become distracted. If I’m working on a work assignment, I can give that assignment 100% of my attention. When I do that, I make less mistakes and I negate stress. In the long run, my work becomes more efficient and much less time consuming. 

If I stop what I’m working on to go do that, or look up this, or think about some other thing, my work will suffer. I will make mistakes. When I make mistakes I have to go back and fix them, therefore making a simple task longer than it has to be. Not to mention the embarrassment I feel when my supervisor has to correct me. That’s a feeling I’d like to save myself. 

When I know my daily goals are going to be completed and completed well I don’t worry about what I’m not currently doing, only what I am currently doing.

My stoptimer has helped me see time in a different way, a positive way. I can see clearly now that I have plenty of time. I have to do my work, I have time to play with my son, I have time to watch TV, I have time to write blog posts and create video content. 

Time is infinite, not fleeting.