Time Audit (Step 16)
One of the most common excuses people give for being single is that they’re too busy or don’t have time.
In this step we’re going to look at how you allocate your daily 24 hours to ensure you have at least FIVE hours per week to invest into dating.
This step is about creating TIME for dating and time for being in a relationship with your dream lover.
Prepare yourself for some mathematics.
There’s 7 days in one week; each day has 24 hours.
Therefore, you have (7×24 =) 168 hours per week to work with.
Let’s see how you’re using your time.
Example: Let’s consider someone with no kids or pets, and how to free-up SIX hours within one week to dedicate to dating.
Make four columns across your page in your notebook.
In the first column, list all the activities you do throughout the week
In the second column, calculate the time each activity takes up per day (in hours)
In the third column, multiply the daily hours by seven to calculate the time each activity takes up per week (in hours)
In the fourth column, start with a total of 168 hours and subtract each activity’s hours from the total as you move down the column.
| Activity | Hours Per Day | Hours Per Week | Hours Remaining |
| Sleeping | 8 | 56 | 168 – 56 = 112 |
| Working | 8 | (6 x 8) 48 | 112 – 48 = 64 |
| Travelling to / from work | 2 | (6 x 2) 12 | 64 – 12 = 52 |
| Preparing / eating meals | 2 | (7 x 2) 14 | 52 – 14 = 38 |
| Exercising / sport | 1 | 7 | 38 – 7 = 31 |
| Taking care of children | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Taking care of pets | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Hobby / Past-time / craft | 4 | 31 – 4 = 27 | |
| Relaxing / Movies | Each night / more weekends | (5 x 1) + (2x 2) = 9 | 27 – 9 = 16 |
| Studying | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Cleaning / dishes | Dishes weekdays. Clean house weekend. | (.5 x 5) + 2 | 16 – 4.5 = 11.5 |
| Socialising + travel | Weekends | 7.5 | 11.5 – 7.5 = 3 |
| Personal admin tasks | 3 | 3 x 1 = 3 | 3 – 3 = 0 |
After completing the table it appears that one could make time for dating by shaving some time off exercise routine (1 hour available), do some weekly food prep to cut back time preparing meals every day (+2 hours available), watch less movies on weekend (+2 hours) and focus on dating more rather than catching up with the same friends every week (+2 hours).
a) Complete the table (referencing the example above) to help you make calculations.
| Activity | Hours Per Day | Hours Per Week | Hours remaining |
| Sleeping | 168 – | ||
| Working | |||
| Travelling to / from work | |||
| Preparing / eating meals | |||
| Exercising / sport | |||
| Taking care of children | |||
| Taking care of pets | |||
| Hobby / Past-time | |||
| Relaxing | |||
| Studying | |||
| Cleaning | |||
| Socialising + travel | |||
| Personal admin tasks |
| b) How many hours are you able to keep available (per week) for dating now? |
If less than SIX hours, which activities could you shave some time off to free up some hours for dating and a relationship? (see example above)