Keir Carroll & Associates
Urgent and Important: for Immediate Action
In preparation for our upcoming workshop, please complete a
Time Log and bring it with you:
If you really want to know where your time goes, there is no substitute for excellent data-gathering.
Here is your mission:
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Keep a log of how you actually use your time. Choose a fairly typical day in the week.
Keep your log with you all the time. Try to record as you go. Guess the amount of time an activity
took only if you forgot to record the time. Guesses are usually very inaccurate.
You are gathering baseline data, so try to do things in your typical way.
It will take you no more than five seconds to write each entry.
There is no such thing as doing nothing. If you stared at the ceiling, record that event, too!
If you do several of the same things in a row, record them as one event, like this:
 9:20 Returned phone calls
 9:35 Sent e-mails
Start now so you’ll be able to complete the log before the workshop!
A sample time log is attached. I’ve typed in activities for easy reading. Please just write yours by
hand, if that’s quicker.
A blank time log is there for you to duplicate.
Keir Carroll & Associates
Time Log
Time:
Name:
Date:
Activity:
Keir Carroll & Associates
Time Log
Time:
Name:
Date:
Activity:
Keir Carroll & Associates
Example:
Time Log
Time:
Name: Keir
Date: 11/1
Activity:
8:15
8:20
8:24
8:30
9:30
9:45
9:55
10:00
10:20
12:00
Got coffee
Called A/P re: Q’s bill
Answered Kathy’s question about T.R. policy
Staff meeting with J.A.
Worked on VV Protocol
Read/responded to high-value emails
Spoke to Jean to catch up
Bill C. dropped by
Updated Sam on PDQ project
Lunch with Larry
12:30
12:55
1:10
2:20
2:30
3:15
4:00
4:15
4:30
4:35
5:00
6:00
Jim & Beth stopped by
Thought about schedule
E-mailed all section heads about DMA
Coffee; read magazine article
Met with Joe re: DMA
Did schedule
Called supervisors in Skrakamology about DMA
Coffee with boss
Called home
Answered emails
Bill C. dropped by
Called it a day