What Is a Time Audit—and Why It Matters
A time audit is a simple but powerful tool for gaining clarity on how you actually spend your time. It’s not about judgment—it’s about awareness. Before we can make meaningful changes in our lives, we need to know where we are starting from.
Step-by-Step Breakdown:
1) Track Your Time Honestly
For one week, record what you do in 15–30 minute increments. Don’t try to be ideal—just be real. Include everything: work, rest, scrolling, chores, conversations, spiritual practices, etc.
2 ) Notice Patterns and Priorities
Once you’ve logged your time, look for:
- Activities that energize or drain you
- Time spent on things that matter vs. things that don’t
- Gaps between your stated values and actual behavior
3) Ask Reflective Questions
- What surprised me?
- Where am I overcommitted or undernourished?
- What am I neglecting that’s important to me or to God?
Avoid Guilt—Lean into Grace
The goal isn’t to shame yourself into change. It’s to invite God into your schedule and begin aligning your time with His purposes. This is a spiritual exercise as much as a practical one.
Use the Audit as a Launchpad
Once you see where your time is going, you can begin to make intentional shifts. Whether it’s carving out space for rest, prayer, relationships, or creativity, the audit helps you move from reactive living to purposeful, gospel-centered rhythms.
Sources:
Vera Christian. Time Audit: Know Where You Are. Retrieved from https://www.verachristian.com/connecting-the-dots/time-audit-know-where-you-are
Vera Christian. Learning from a Time Audit. Retrieved from https://www.verachristian.com/connecting-the-dots/learning-from-time-audit
Vera Christian. How to Make Change. Retrieved from https://www.verachristian.com/connecting-the-dots/how-to-make-change