So what did you come up with? How you are apt to spend your time? Overall, how pleased are you with how you budget your time? Sometimes do you wish you could just look at the camera and request a “time-out,” like Zack Morris in Saved by the Bell?

I have been trying to visualize my time for each day as a pie that is cut into twenty-four slices (giant pie)! Say I get a good healthy 7-9 hours of sleep. That leaves 15-17 hours — or slices — of wakefulness. How do I spend these slices?

• Taking care of my kids, my house, and my spouse (not necessarily in that order).

• Working (coaching clients, Zoom meetings/calls, practicing piano, coaching basketball, writing, any number of random “work” items, depending on the season, emailing, emailing, emailing).

• Buying things (when I first moved here I had tea with a mom of high school and college aged kiddos. She made the comment, “When you are a mom you just buy things all the time.” I found that statement funny then, but more and more I get it! Groceries, school fundraiser items, shoes/cleats and clothes, fast food after games or meets, concessions, groceries, groceries; you get the picture).

• Exercising (of course there are always fewer of these slices than I would like).

• Driving (usually to kids’ events).

• Community or church events.

• Rest/renewal/recreation???

Then we can look at who we spent our time with, or those in our sphere of influence:

• Family, close friends:

• Coworkers, people who you share space with due to activities your children are in, clubs or committees you are part of, etc.

• Seasonal friends or acquaintances

• Everyone else

Since I don’t want to take up too much of your precious (not being facetious! Our time is precious and should be treated as such) time, I will keep this short. Continue thinking about and noticing patterns in your time budgeting. Notice:

• What parts of your day are energy-giving?

• Where are you spending time (with people or on projects) that tend to be energy-draining?

• Where are spaces where you wish you could spend more time?

• Who are people with whom you would like to spend the most time?

After you reflect on these questions, think about who you can have a conversation with surrounding this time-budgeting topic. And let me know what you come up with. I will pencil you in.