The Concept

Laura Vanderkam, author of "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think" (2010), argues that everyone has the same 168 hours each week. The question isn't about time—it's about choices.

The Math

168 hours per week =

Sleep: 56 hours (8 hours × 7 days)
Work: 50 hours (10 hours × 5 days)
Remaining: 62 hours

That's 62 hours for everything else—far more than most people think they have.

The Time Tracking Method

Week-Long Audit

Vanderkam recommends:

Track every 30-minute increment for one week
Record what you actually do (not what you plan)
Be honest and comprehensive
Include everything: work, sleep, leisure, chores
Analyze patterns after the week

What People Discover

Common findings:

More "wasted" time than imagined
Less work time than claimed
Surprising amount of low-value activities
Actual vs. perceived time allocation gaps
Opportunities for reallocation

Key Insights from Research

The I Don't Have Time Myth

Vanderkam's research with high-achieving individuals showed they have time for:

Exercise
Hobbies
Family
Side projects
Professional development

The difference is intentionality, not hours available.

Core Competencies

Focus time and money on:

What you do best
What you love
What brings most value
Activities aligned with priorities

Outsource, eliminate, or minimize everything else.

Ignore the Laundry

Title of another book - small tasks expand to fill available time. Focus on what matters; let some things go.

The Planning Approach

Priority-Based Scheduling

Step 1: Identify 3-5 core priorities

Career goals
Relationship priorities
Health objectives
Personal development
Community involvement

Step 2: Schedule priorities FIRST

Block time for workouts before anything else
Schedule date nights in advance
Plan career development time
Protect family dinners

Step 3: Everything else fits around priorities

Chores in margins
TV watching only after priorities
Social media in leftover time

The Mosaic Principle

Time doesn't have to be perfect blocks. Use "time confetti":

15 minutes reading while kids play
20 minutes exercise before work
10 minutes learning during commute
Small pieces create meaningful mosaics

Books and Body of Work

"168 Hours" (2010)
"What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast" (2012)
"I Know How She Does It" (2015)
"Off the Clock" (2018)
"Tranquility by Tuesday" (2022)

Time Tracking Templates

Vanderkam provides:

168-hour spreadsheet templates
Time log worksheets
Analysis frameworks
Planning tools

Podcast and Media

Before Breakfast podcast:

Daily time management tips
Short-form practical advice
Guest interviews
Research-based insights

Research Foundation

Vanderkam's work is based on:

Time diary studies
Surveys of successful people
American Time Use Survey data
Her own experiments
Reader submissions

Key Principles

Build a Life, Not a To-Do List

Prioritize meaningful activities that build the life you want.

Volunteer Hours Are Real Hours

What you volunteer for reveals your real priorities.

Master the Morning

What you do before breakfast sets the day's tone.

Plan in Pencil

Flexibility matters, but so does intention.

Savor Every Day

Being busy isn't the goal; meaningful time use is.

Practical Application

Weekly Planning

Review upcoming week
Schedule 3 career priorities
Block 3 relationship priorities
Plan 3 self-care priorities
Fill in everything else

Daily Review

What went well?
What didn't?
Where did time go?
What to adjust tomorrow?

Modern Relevance

In digital age:

Phone time is often unaccounted
Social media steals hours
Streaming creates time sinks
"Busy" becomes identity

Vanderkam's 168-hour framework helps:

See total picture
Make conscious choices
Align time with values
Create abundant mindset
Focus on what matters

The Abundance Mindset

Unlike scarcity-focused time management, 168 Hours promotes:

Viewing time as sufficient
Focusing on possibilities
Eliminating low-value activities
Investing in high-return activities
Building life worth having

Laura Vanderkam's 168 Hours Method