Let’s Do a Time Log!
Posted on February 14, 2025 by prairiemoonquilts in Quilting For HireDo you know where your time goes?
Let’s find out together!
If you quilt full-time, like I do, and especially if you’re running a business of it, and you wonder why you don’t get more done in a day, then this is a great exercise to open your eyes to exactly why that is.
I’ve done it a few times, and it makes me laugh at myself. I know I’m a flitter with a short attention span, I live on a farm where there are all types of daily interruptions, and I have family close by who know I have flexible hours (which can be good AND bad at the same time). And I love power naps!
But even if you don’t quilt full time, and your quilting time is limited, and you’d like to make better use of it, this can still be a good exercise to see where your time is spent. And it’s fun and enlightening to see just how you spend your sewing time! So will you join me?
I talk about this subject at length in my book, Quilting for Hire. If you have the book, then you can download the extras, which includes the time log, and my sample time log I made while writing the book (which still makes me chuckle — I was being brutally honest). The time log is on page 112 in the book. If you don’t have the book yet, but want to get it, you can purchase it HERE.
But even if you don’t have the book, you can still download the Time Log to play along with us here:
TimeLog
The Time Log is designed for an 8-to-5 work day, but if your schedule is different than that, then just write in your schedule to fit your own situation. Maybe you only get to sew in the evenings, so make it fit you. Maybe you can only do it every other day — that’s OK, too. Weekends, only? Just fine. Make it yours.
We’ll start on Monday, the 17th, so this gives you time to get your form printed out and think about it. We’ll track through an entire week, and see what we get.
How to do it:
As you go through your day, start writing in the things you are actually doing during the time you have specified on your time sheet. It’s best if you fill it out every couple hours as you go through the day, so you don’t have to try to remember everything you did for an entire day all at once. It’s spaced in half-hour increments.
Don’t lie to yourself — be completely honest about what you’re doing. Why? Because if you aren’t honest about it up front, you will never be able to find out where you can improve.
After we have them all filled out for the week, I’ll be back on here to post mine and we’ll analyze it together. It should be good for some laughs! Will you join me?
wow as the founding member of procrastination are us this should be interesting.
I have changed my rotary cutter blade and needle so I am revel up and ready to sew…. something….
Oopsie – I’ll have to behave myself!!! I get too many distractions.
I like this idea, for a week. I keep seeing the nurses face when I said I had maybe 5 hours a day screen time. Too much…too little?!??
I’m going to be late to this party. I have company coming on the 17th for a week. But I WILL be doing this at a later time.
I’m just plain lazy most of the time!
I’m new to your FB page and blog. I’m planning on doing this with you all. I know where I waste time at but maybe since I have to be honest and put it in writing, I will improve.