The Best Kept Secret for Successful Time Management

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The Best Kept Secret for Successful Time Management

Periodically, we take a look at the stats for this podcast to see what episodes resonate the most. The occasional episodes that talk about time management always seem to generate some good levels of interest. I’ve said before that time is an even more valuable commodity than money. It’s also harder to manage than money. So today, I’m going to share a single time management tip that could change your life. No one does it, because it may seem over the top. But if there is one discipline that has made me a better steward of time, this is it. It’s also the one idea people have asked me the most about. I occasionally do speaking engagements about stewardship and this seems to be one of the things that sticks with people the most. Are you ready?

Know where your time is going. If time is as valuable of an asset as I have said, wouldn’t it make sense to have some idea of how you are spending it? You may do a great job keeping up with where you spent your money last month, but do you have any idea of where you spent your time last month? This is the case on a personal and professional basis. Let’s talk about your personal time first. Here’s a quick experiment. How much time do you think you spent yesterday on social media platforms? I’m talking about the sum of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, BeReal, Pinterest, YouTube and any other one I might have forgotten. Seriously, go ahead and take a moment to guess. If you have an Apple device, it is logging the time you spend in all of your apps in a setting called Screen Time. I’m sure Android users have a similar way to look at your social media time log. So, how close were you to your guess? Let’s say you spent an hour on Instagram yesterday. Are you more informed, more entertained, or more rested as a result of that hour? Is there something else you really wanted to get done yesterday that you didn’t? Could a portion of that hour spent on Instagram have allowed you to get some of those things done that you hoped to get done? I’m not saying there is no value to social media, but it has replaced T.V. as the most significant stealthy time taker.

A friend of mine recently asked for prayer because he finds himself mindlessly scrolling through YouTube, not at bad content necessarily – but he doesn’t consider what he is viewing is good for him or for his soul. We often have an inaccurate view of how much of our day social media is commanding. I know there is value entertainment. One of the most entertaining things I enjoy is watching an episode of Survivor. Yes, I still watch this show that has been around for 48 seasons, and I confess that I would love to try out for it. Watching the show has actually become a family affair. We all watch it together and try to guess who is going to win challenges, who is going to be voted off next, and ultimately, who is going to win. It’s a 45 minute per week commitment and it is so worth it. It is restful, it is family time, and it is entertaining. So, there’s nothing wrong with something that you consider to be a good use of time that involves a screen. But how many things do I look at that are not a great use of time? Am I happy with the 15 minutes I spent on X Saturday? Well, I had paying an insurance bill on my to do list for Saturday and it didn’t get done. Could I have reduced my X time a little and gone ahead and knocked it out? Absolutely. So…do you know where your time is going? Not just your screen time but all of your time?

That leads me to a strategy I tried to track my professional time in the office. Many years ago, I wanted to figure out where my time was going, so I committed to doing a time log for 2 weeks. It was unbelievably revealing. It showed me I was unbalanced in the use of my time (email for one thing was taking up more of my time than it should have). I was spending too long in certain meetings. I was getting distracted and chasing rabbits midday. It was humbling and convicting. So, I challenge you to take a couple of weeks and do a time log. Now this time log needs to be specific. Don’t be general, try to identify each task that you are doing and each appointment that you are attending for your workday. You may say, “I don’t have time to track my time.” It only takes a few seconds to jot down your latest activity, and I really believe that a specific and accurate look at how you are spending your time in the office will save you weeks, months, and maybe even years of your life if you can make changes and tweaks going forward. It was so helpful for me that I just kept doing it beyond the two weeks. I’ve been keeping a time log for my workday for over five years now. There is no single habit that has made me more effective than this. Here’s why I’ve kept going:

It keeps me on track. For example, I can look at it right now to see how much time I’ve spent on this podcast. If I didn’t do that, I would have no idea if I’ve spent too much or too little time on it. It keeps me from chasing the next shiny coin. It keeps me from going deeper into a project than I should.

It gives me game film to review at the end of the day. I can review how my time was spent. Some days I’m very happy with where I invested my precious time. Other days there are several instances where I got off track and can learn from to do a more effective job tomorrow.

It makes me more thoughtful about where my time is going in real time. The act of writing down the use of time just makes time more top of mind. As I’m in a meeting, I ask myself, is this too much or not enough time for this meeting? As I’m in a project, and I realize, “I’ve been working on this for too long” it allows me to make course corrections as the day goes on.

This doesn’t have to be rigid. I know that tracking your time can seem like a robotic and stiff exercise – but it really doesn’t have to be. You are simply trying to get an accurate read on where this most precious of all resources is going. The reason no one does this is because it takes intentional effort. It’s challenging, but I believe it is totally worth it. Let me ask you this as I wrap up, how’s your current time management routine working? Are you stressed all the time? Trying this exercise might be the gateway to making sure your time is going to the most important items on the list first, rather than the next email that you were notified by, or the next comment that was made to your Facebook post. This could lower stress. This could make you wildly more effective. This could be the first step in admitting you have a time problem and put you on the path to doing something about it.

Are you looking for a bank that looks beyond your dollars toward your greater well-being? At MBC and Foundation Bank, we are looking for ways to make our clients’ lives better and the communities in which we serve better. Do you want to be a part of that kind of financial community? Start your financial conversation today by exploring our website or by calling your local branch. If you have questions about your two-week time log, you can even ask them to us. We hope you’ll subscribe to this podcast in your favourite podcast app and share it on social media. These episodes are not holistic recommendations specific to your own unique circumstances. Please consult your own advisors before acting. And until our next episode, God bless you.

-President Chad P. Wilson, CFP

Today’s episode of “Money Matters” was written and recorded by President Chad P. Wilson of Foundation Bank/McKenzie Banking Company on June 18, 2025. This episode does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a financial professional to discuss your specific needs. Any rates mentioned are subject to change and are accurate as of the recording date. Foundation Bank/MBC is an Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC.