When you actually track your time, you gain clarity. You become aware of where your time goes, and you automatically make more time for your true priorities.

For instance, let me ask you right now how much TV you think you watch in a day. If you’re like me, you probably say, “Oh, an hour or two. But really, I’m not a TV person.” And yet, A.C. Nielsen, the television-monitoring company, says the average American watches four hours per day. To which I say: “Well, not me! Oh, yeah, I did watch that movie the other night . . . and of course I watch the news . . . and I binged on Breaking Bad for a while . . .” Sound familiar?

My point is this: Few of us actually know the time costs of our daily routines. And that knowledge is key in helping us make better choices.

So I’ve designed this tool to help you identify what you do in a day, hour by hour. First, I’d like you to estimate how much time you think you spend on the following daily activities:

Now, spend a day tracking each of those activities. By the end of the day, your list might look like this:

Sleeping
Grooming (showering, etc.) Eating/preparing meals Commuting/working TV/social media
Family time
Total time:

7 hours 1 hour 1.5 hours 9 hours 1.5 hours 2 hours 22 hours

Those are the actual numbers from my client Emily, a mother of two and a CEO of a For- tune 100 company. Note that at the end of her 24-hour period, Emily had two hours left in her workday! That’s 10 free hours a week, plus weekends—enough for a part-time job!

I know what you’re thinking: Emily’s list didn’t include all those errands a person needs to run. What about doctor appointments, movie dates, visits with friends? What about laundry?

Relax. My point is this: It’s easy to chew up those extra hours running out for milk, or polishing doorknobs, or talking to your neighbor. But if you’re making you a pri- ority, then even a Fortune 100 executive has time to squeeze in 30 minutes to sweat. Or to schedule a class, take up a hobby, or do something else that will support her best self.

So now take your own inventory with the Time Audit tool below. Be honest! If you find you’re spending a couple hours a day doing things in your “Other” category (running to Starbucks, playing computer solitaire, researching Jennifer Aniston’s pregnancy status), I’m going to show you how to switch things up and honor your priorities. I want you to end each day knowing you’ve done something you loved and honored what was really important to you. What else is time for?

Now it’s your turn.

This is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula

OKAY, I’M SURE THERE ARE energetic, productive, lean, and healthy people out there who live in complete chaos. In fact, I know one excellent fitness trainer who has probably not seen her car upholstery in years, thanks to the accumulation of kettle bells and yoga mats.

But believe me, those people are exceptions. Clutter drains energy. It’s as simple as that. You say you don’t believe me—you behind the stack of unopened mail, months-old magazines, and piles of charger cords? Let me ask you a question. Do you not sit a little straighter behind the wheel right after you’ve vacuumed your car? Do you not breathe relief from your shitty day when you see your cleaning lady has paid a visit? And do you not then feel a little bit more badass, a little more in control of your day and life?

Many of my clients come to me in a state of lingering overwhelm. There was Kelly, who said she just could not understand why she had no energy, no time, and an extra 20 pounds that stuck to her like a lamprey eel. She was young, she was healthy, she was smart—what the hell was wrong? So I paid her a visit at home. After I parted the sea of chip bags and soda cans (no surprise there), I saw bags of fabric and a dusty sewing machine. I saw stacks of unread books and papers. I saw dishes piled on counters and recycling piled on the floor. I even saw a pair of jeans in an open closet that I knew hadn’t fit her since the last millennium. And in the middle of it stood Kelly, looking hopeless. No wonder! It was as if every object were screaming, “Deal with me already, you loser!”

Here’s the thing: clean is transformative. It really is! A chaotic space is a nag and a drag, a constant reminder of everything we’re bad at and dislike about ourselves. That project we’ll never get to. That invitation we forgot to answer. That $250 jacket the salesperson talked us into that we wore once. The Facebook “friends” from fifth grade. Who needs them? Even talking about it is exhausting.

This is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula