Do we really all have the same amount of time in our day?
As a busy work from home mum, I’m always looking for time saving hacks and ways to be more productive, constantly thinking outside the box and finding more ways to fit more into my day.
I really like reading about how other people juggle work and family life and picking up tips along the way, as well as coming up with my own time saving hacks to try and achieve as much as possible in the time available.
Perplexed
Recently, however I watched a vlog that left me feeling both inadequate and a bit perplexed. The vlog was about being productive, unlike others I’ve seen with hacks and new tips to try out, this vlog was basically making the point that we all have the same hours in the day, so if we aren’t achieving what we want to be in a day… well, we don’t want it badly enough and we aren’t trying hard enough.
Now, whilst I accept that of course we all have the same number of hours in the day, and I accept that not everyone uses those in the most productive way 100% of the time, we do not all have the same ‘available’ time as each other.
Breaking it down
Let’s break this down a bit, just to illustrate my point:
- Someone who has one child in full time school or nursery does not have the same available time as someone with newborn twins at home
- Someone who has three children in school and cares for an elderly relative at home does not have the same available time as someone who works part time and has two children who are cared for by grandparents
- Someone with a young child with complex needs and three teenagers who have a range of hobbies does not have the same available time as someone who works from home with three pre-schoolers
My point is that we all have totally different home lives and responsibilities that take up varying amounts of our time each day. A parent who has six children to bath and put to bed will need to spend more time on that that someone with only one child – that’s obvious isn’t it?
It doesn’t mean that one is more committed to their work or project more than another, just that they have other things to do before they can get to that part of their day.
So whilst we will all procrastinate at times, whilst we’d all love more time, when we are utilising our time as best as we possibly can, we shouldn’t be made to feel that we are still failing and we certainly shouldn’t have our commitment, ambition or desire to succeed questioned by someone who just has more ‘available’ time than we do.
What are your thoughts?
I could use a few more hours each day
Couldn’t we all 🙂
I completely agree! Of course there is an element that we are more likely to get things done if we really want to get them done, i.e. Will try to find the time, stay up late for example. But like you said there are everyday things that have to get done and how much time these take will of course depend on your home situation. At the moment my little one is being super clingy and I’m finding it really difficult to get other things done, and I’m feeling quite low about it but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to be productive!
Exactly! Thanks for reading – glad it isn’t just me!
I completely agree! Time works completely differently depending on what you’ve got to do, who for and when by. It’s easy to say, “Just prioritise” but it doesn’t work that way
I quite agree – those priorities can also fluctuate constantly depending on what you have to get done can’t they?
I like to think I’m quite productive, but some days much more so than others, it all depends on interruptions and commitments in the day which I don’t ever factor into the things I want to achieve! #Sharewithme
Personal circs definitely make a difference to how we utilise our time. I think its worth remembering that different people have different energy levels too – that vam have an impatc on motivation… Thanks for hosting #sharewithme
I know I wish I had more time in the day. I go between having incredibly productive days and days where I have no idea what was going on. Thanks for hosting #sharewithme! I’m glad I found a new link up. Xx