A calendar is not just a reminder device for keeping track of external events.
Used right, a calendar can be a full-fledged tool for thought.
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Ooh, I'd love to trade calendar-nerd methods with you next time we hang! I record every 15-minute block each day, mostly tracking "ways of being" (creative action, execution, quality time with loved ones, duty, etc). It's been a useful diagnostic + reflective tool.
It's not really relevant. I update it when I get up from a pomo or transition to something else. I've got it set up so that it takes maybe 2 minutes total each day.
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I used to do 30 minutue increments for entire life. So impressed at this
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Wait, what? Tracking every 30 minutes your _whole_ life?!
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Wow. I’m so curious what insights this has given you.
I did a similar exercise for a few weeks years ago, and was surprised to find that, consistently, I felt good while socializing with my kids and after eating, and bad mostly from worrying about money.
Simple human.
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* "I'm spending too much time on 'duty'"
* "When I do any tasks before creative work, my mornings end up fragmented"
* "I feel bad when execution time consistently overtakes creative time"
* "I ended up distracted a lot when doing X… maybe I just don't care about it?"
etc
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I would love to read more about how you use this and what you gain from it.
Funny coincidence... I used to have the same excel setup with very similar colors!
3 notes.
1. I’ve done this on a years/months scale to biographically track my hobbies, music tastes, devices etc... fun!
2. I currently track time with Toggl, perhaps an alternative to direct spreadsheet
3. I also recently tracked baby data 😱 your graphic reminded me of...
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That baby data is wild. I'm such a prima donna about focus time—I would lose my mind! 🙇♂️
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