The start of a new year is a natural time for reflection. Many people may choose to make resolutions or other changes at this point to improve themselves and their quality of life. In the words of time use expert and author Laura Vanderkam, “Time is our most valuable resource.”

As people ponder what they want in 2023, it can be helpful for them to think about how they are allocating those resources. Do they really work the 50 hours they think they work? How much time actually goes to loved ones? When do you pursue hobbies or other meaningful activities?

Is life spent on unfulfilled little things like errands and housework? Vanderkam suggests people track their time for a week to see where they’re spending their time. Additionally, she recommends that individuals think about time in the 168-hour block versus the 24-hour day. An alternative to Vanderkam’s week-long time tracking exercise is Dr. Denise Lash’s idea of ??the 168 hour pie chart.

dr Denise Lash, clinical psychologist and director of behavioral health at Intermountain Healthcare, said: “When I meet with patients, I often ask them to draw two pie charts. The first chart shows how time is actually distributed in their week. While the second pie chart reflects how they plan to allocate their time. Then we work to reduce the gaps between actual and ideal timing.”

The first pie chart should resemble the following example: 25-30% for sleep, 25% for work, and so on.

“This allows individuals to make timely, conscious choices and hopefully live richer, more fulfilling lives,” said Dr. lashes

Intermountain recently created new resources, including a new website to help navigate behavioral health needs, find therapists and providers, search by topic, and more. There is also a new chatbot option to help control…