If you want this activity to be worthwhile, you’ll need to be honest with yourself. And you’ll need at least two weeks to complete this exercise.
Week one: In a notebook, chart every activity you do for every fifteen minutes. Do this for an entire week.
Week two: This step will be a bit harder. Every fifteen minutes, write down the thoughts you’re dwelling on. Do this for an entire week. You are likely to have a number of thoughts within any fifteen-minute period. Feel free to categorize or summarize; just be as honest as you can.
At the end of the month: Look at your bank account and write down where you spent most of your money. What were the major categories? Or you can keep a record of your discretionary and personal spending for the month. Be sure to include the little-bit-here, little-bit-there things too.
Review your thought life and how you spent your time and your money. Ask yourself: “What do my actions, my thoughts, and my spending habits—my investments—reveal about the things I actually value as most important in life? What does this exercise show me about my attitudes and motives?”
What did you discover? Are you satisfied with what you actually value? Are there things you want to consider more deeply? If so, make the time do to so. You might also want to talk to a good friend who can listen to you and offer wise observations.
