How we Spend Time

Are you like me and evaluate the use of your time? Do you often come to the same conclusions? I know there are ways that I waste time (social media, for one), but it is more likely that I will judge myself harshly for “doing nothing” than working “too much.”

Lately, I have been focused on evaluating the quality of time, not just on how productive I am. As someone who owns her own business, I may be more susceptible than most for blurring the lines between work and personal time, but even those working more traditional jobs find that email, texts, phone calls, and “home work” often extend well beyond the time of the official end of the work day.

I am not going to tell you what is right or wrong. The only person who should really judge that is you (and I would suggest with consideration of those you may share a life with).

While there are several effective ways to manage your time, there are also differences in how we each recharge and value the activities of our lives. If your work is meaningful to you and your life is more joyful or fulfilling because of it, then perhaps work extending into the evenings or weekends is positive for you. If you are working extra hours to avoid conflict at home or to distance yourself from others, then work is not adding joy so much as serving as a tool of avoidance. If communication from work distracts you from other passions and people you care about, then limiting those interactions is consistent with your values.

Thinking about work outside of work time sometimes muddles another important consideration. What are we doing with the time at work? Are we truly contributing to the organization we have chosen to work for?

Exploring your own relationship with time and discovering ways to manage your attention on areas of importance to you helps you to feel both productive and accomplished.