Create Your Own Time Budget

There is no way to manage time. It is finite. No matter what is done there can only be 24 hours in every day. There is only 60 minutes in an hour. While time can not be managed, it can be budgeted.

A budget determines how one is going to use and organize a finite substance. Most often it is spoken about in the realm of money, but in this particular case lets take a look at time.

There are some simple tools that can be used to make a time budget that agrees with ones life choices.

First is the list of non-negotiable items. These are the very basics of life that must be done. Minutes have to be used to accomplish these tasks and they can not allotted for other activities.

~ Sleep
In order to be a healthy functioning person people need sleep. Not everyone requires the same amount of sleep. A person physician with a complete medical history is the best one to determine how much time needs to be budgeted for sleep.

~ Income or Work
There is a certain amount of time that is required to work and earn. We need enough finances to meet our physical needs of food, clothing, and shelter. It is important to be able to draw a line between wants and needs and properly budget the right amount of time spent working on earning money. Both wants and needs are important and balance is the key.

~ Relationships
Humans need to have ties with other humans. Some people forge these relationships in the way of marriages and family ties. Others have friends or co-workers that fill the needs to negotiate relationships.

These are the non-negotiable items in the budget. These scheduled events can not and will not be lost in the shuffle.

Now it is time to take a serious look at desires, goals and wishes. There are the things that separate a good life from a happy and productive life. Most of us truly want the happy and productive life, be we may fail to put it in our time budget. If it is not in the budget it won't happen.

~ Pairing
Pairing is a tool where a non-negotiable and a flexible item are paired for optimum results.

A good example would be if adding more exercise is in the goal category of one's list, it could be paired with walking with a friend. The relationship category is a non-negotiable. It would take care of two objectives with one allotted amount of budgeted time.

Another great example would be choosing a career that would help meet educational goals. Money has to be earned and perhaps learning and being more educated is a personal desire. These things could be done in tandem.

~ Prioritize
Priorities change. If plan A is not working it is best to adjust the time budget to meet plan B.

Follow this example. Exercise is a personal goal and is budgeted for 30 minutes from 6:00 am to 6:30 am. The alarm does not go off. That time is gone.

Make plan B work. Walk during every break at work. Dance for 15 minutes when you get home, if you do it with someone else you are pairing. Rock it on out. It was not the original plan, but it accomplished the goal.

~ Evaluate
It is important to take a look at the time budget at least once a week and make corrections and adjustments where needed. It is always a work in progress.

~ Keep good records
Most can manage with a simple calendar. If there are more things to be done than can fit on a calendar perhaps it is time to think in broader terms. It should be simple. If it turns into a to do task list that never gets done it is not a time budget. Simplify.

~ Let go
The only thing one has control over is their personal actions in any given situation. The focus needs to remain personal.