What Your Schedule Is Really Telling You

So you’re a mom founder looking to implement the goal blocking (time blocking) strategies discussed in Part I. Great! But before we start planning ahead, it’s worth taking a step back. Here we’ll discuss how to do that with time tracking for mom entrepreneurs.

How do you get started?

By learning what your current schedule is already telling you.

That’s where time tracking for mom entrepreneurs comes in. When you understand exactly how you’re spending your time right now, you can make smarter decisions about what to change—and what’s already working.

Time Tracking for Mom Entrepreneurs

If you have never “goal blocked” your schedule, you may find it helpful to use a time-tracking app to see how you’re currently spending your time. Before I started goal blocking, I found this eye-opening. For a week, I tracked both work-related and personal tasks. I recorded how long it took me to get ready in the morning, how much time I spent reading for fun at night, and how long various work activities took (like client calls and meetings).

To do this, I used Toggl, which has an app that allows you to simply “start” and “stop” the timer when you switch tasks. I remember being surprised at how little time some activities actually took—especially the ones I dreaded, like marketing. Looking back, I think I spent so much time dreading those tasks that they felt longer than they were. I was also surprised by what I could delegate.

A few examples from that week:

• I spent two hours packing and mailing packages for work—something I didn’t need to do myself.
• I spent about three hours on laundry.
• I spent almost two hours on social media (embarrassingly!).

How do you Time Track?

First, download the Toggl app (you can also use the browser version—but trust me, you’ll want the app on your phone for convenience).

Step 1: Choose your categories.

Create separate categories for your work life and personal life.
For personal tasks, you might include things like:

• Getting ready
• Exercising
• Getting kids ready
• Cleaning
• Any other time-consuming activities

For work, include your core tasks, plus things like:

• Email
• Slack
• Client calls
• Meetings

Don’t stress about getting this perfect from the start—you can always add or adjust categories as you go.

Step 2: Track for one week.

Use Toggl to switch between tasks throughout the day. It’s simple to tap “start” and “stop” as you move through your routine.
If you forget to switch tasks, no worries—you can go back and adjust entries later.

Step 3: Review your report.

At the end of the week, check the Toggl report to see exactly where your time went. This snapshot is incredibly eye-opening and sets the stage for smarter time management ahead.

Analyze your week by asking the following questions:  

• What surprised me most about how I spend my time?
• What do I like about how I spend my time?
• What do I dislike about how I spend my time?
• What do I want to do more of—and when can I realistically do it?
• What small changes could I make to my schedule that would have a big impact on my wellbeing?

How can I “find time”?

• What can I cut out completely?
• What can I delegate to someone else?
• What two activities could I combine?

👉 Bonus insight: Once you start asking these questions, your brain may continue solving them in the background. You might find yourself uncovering time pockets without even trying!

Is Time Tracking for Mom Entrepreneurs Necessary?

Honestly? Now that I goal block, time tracking sometimes feels unnecessary. Why would I look back and be surprised by how I spent my time—when I could just decide ahead of time and stick to the plan?

But if you’re not goal blocking yet, time tracking is incredibly helpful. It gives you a clear, honest picture of where your time is going and helps you make intentional decisions about how to improve it.

Why is it so helpful to time track?

It builds buy-in.

When you see exactly how you’re spending your time, it becomes easier to embrace time blocking. You’ll feel more motivated to be intentional—especially when you notice time drains (hello, social media!).

It gives you a baseline.

If you’re working out one hour a week, you’re not going to magically jump to ten. Tracking gives you a starting point, so you can set realistic goals—like increasing by 5–10% per week—instead of aiming for an unsustainable leap.

It helps you “find time.”

When you see how long things actually take, opportunities open up.
→ Two hours on social media? That’s space for reading, planning, or rest.
→ Five hours commuting? Can you listen to a podcast or do something to support your goals?
→ 90 minutes grocery shopping? Could Shipt or another delivery service save you time?

It helps you protect what matters.

I was surprised—and delighted—to see I spent three hours reading in one week. If you’d asked me, I would’ve said I didn’t have time to read. But tracking showed those moments—before bed, in the morning—and made me appreciate and prioritize them even more.

Once you spend some time thinking about this, try “goal blocking” a single day. That will be discussed in Part III.