As established service providers with frequently booked out calendars, it can be all too easy to begin getting overwhelmed this time of year and quickly feel like there’s never enough time for you. I know firsthand how easy it is to let the holiday promo schedules, added events and obligations, and epectations chip away at your capacity and freedom until you wake up on January 2nd with whiplash and a few extra grand in credit card debt.
I don’t know about you…but I am NOT willing to accept that kind of experience in my life and business anymore.
I am no longer willing to push myself to the brink trying to be everything to everyone without taking a moment to reconnect with myself.
Oh, and I flat out refuse to let one more important memory miss me because I over-scheduled myself; underestimating the scope of work I dumped on my own plate.
Up until I discovered my miracle method for unlocking instant time-freedom I’m about to share with you, I suffered from an endless self-sabotage cycle like this but now I spend hours per day lavishing myself and enjoying my many creative hobbies.
And it is all thanks to making one tiny little switch with my miracle method (and tool). Keep reading if you’re ready to embrace a more balanced life without sacricing existing your business.
Tracking vs. Planning: What’s the Difference?
As promised, my miracle method is painfully simple.
It requires you to ditch your planner (for a week) and embrace the habit of tracking your time instead.
At first glance, planning and tracking seem like two sides of the same coin. But trust me, they couldn’t be more different. Planning involves setting goals, creating schedules, and putting tasks in neat little boxes. Tracking, on the other hand, is more revealing. It’s the act of writing down everything you actually do with your time, not just what you intend to do. And let me tell you—it’s awkward and tedious at first. You might feel a bit silly, especially if you, like me, are accustomed to overly ambitious, beautifully structured plans that rarely survive a single day.
Tracking isn’t about perfection; it’s about clarity. Imagine realizing three hours a day are slipping through your fingers on activities that don’t serve you. Three hours every day! That’s 15 hours a week—nearly two full workdays—spent on things that don’t move the needle in life or work. For me, it was a wake-up call.
So grab my Anti-Burnout Time Tracker and start immediately writing down everything from today so far. Then comment below with any spare time you found from today or this week already to inspire others!
The Impact of a Single Day of Tracking
I barely made it through one full day of tracking before the patterns emerged. Random scrolling sessions, tiny distractions, and tasks that felt urgent but weren’t truly important all added up. It’s easy to dismiss “five minutes here” and “ten minutes there,” but when you add them up, those little moments can mean a whole day lost each week, or 50 days a year. Let that sink in: an extra 50 days every year that could be yours if you reclaim your time.
Reclaiming Time to Pursue What Matters
Here’s my challenge for you. After tracking your time, take that newfound time and fill it with hobbies, skills, or self-care. Use those hours to learn something that excites you, discover a new interest, or start a new habit. I’ve been leaning into slow, divine feminine living, and honestly? It’s changed everything. Giving myself permission to unwind, explore new interests, and just be has helped me show up better in my business and relationships.
Tips to Start Tracking Today
Here’s how to get started with tracking your time:
- Record Everything: Write down every activity, no matter how small. Multitasking counts—if you’re making coffee and sending emails, jot it down.
- Be Realistic: Don’t try to control or change your behavior right away. Just observe.
- Notice Patterns: Look for moments when you’re likely to get sidetracked. These are often goldmines for reclaiming time.
- Plan to Track for a Full Week: Patterns emerge over time, and one day won’t give the full picture.
After just one week, you’ll have a clear map of where your time goes—and that’s where the magic happens. For me, tracking transformed my productivity and opened up a world of time I never thought I had. Suddenly, I had the freedom to create, to dream, and to connect with my loved ones on a deeper level.
Tracking Your Way To Freedom
What I learned is that planning can only get you so far. The real power lies in tracking—embracing reality over idealism. And as you begin reclaiming your time, start filling it with things that light you up. For the next month, I challenge you to use your reclaimed hours to pursue something new, fun, or fulfilling. Maybe it’s time for a new hobby, a long-forgotten skill, or even some well-deserved rest.
So, here’s my invitation to you: track your time and share the results with me. I’d love to hear about the hours you find, the surprises you discover, and the passions you rekindle. Let’s start reclaiming our lives, one tracked hour at a time.