Creating a Time Budget For Your Family - The Family Podcast

In this episode, Tracy unpacks the idea of a time budget and challenges us to take an honest look at how we spend our time and what it reveals about our true priorities. By examining our daily routines, she invites us to align our schedules with what we say matters most—especially our relationship with God.

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What Your Time Says About What You Truly Care AboutOverview

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. How we spend those hours tells a powerful story—one that reveals our true priorities, passions, and commitments. It’s easy to say we value certain things—faith, family, health—but when we step back and take an honest look at how we actually spend our time, the truth becomes clear. Are we really living according to the values we claim to hold dear?

Time Is the Ultimate Indicator of Priority

Think about it: if someone tracked your daily routine for a week, what would they discover? Maybe they’d find that your evenings are filled with sports practices, Netflix binges, or endless scrolling on your phone. Church attendance or involvement might fall down the list with sports tourneys for the kids, camping on the weekends or other vacations. Maybe work consumes your days and fatigue takes your nights. None of these are inherently bad—but when they take up the bulk of our time, we have to ask: What’s being left out?

From Habits of the Household — Justin Whitmel Earley

“Moments aggregate, and they become memories and tradition. Our routines become who we are, become the story and culture of our families.

“Think of it like this: when it comes to spiritual formation, our households are not simply products of what we teach and say. They are much more products of what we practice and do.” These habits of the household are giving our children windows into what we mean when we talk about faith.

“The liturgical lens allows us to see all of our normal moments for what they really are: moments of worship to someone or something.”

The Time Budget Exercise

One of the most eye-opening exercises you can do is create a "time budget". Just like a financial budget shows you where your money goes, a time budget breaks down how you spend the 168 hours in your week. Include everything: sleep, work, meals, commutes, entertainment, family time, exercise, screen time—and yes, time with God.

Take time to do a time breakdown of a month. Think of all that you do in a day and in a week.

What Does Your Time Budget Reveal?

Once you've created your time budget, take a step back and look at it. Ask yourself:

1. What gets the most hours?
2. What gets squeezed in?
3. What gets neglected entirely?
4. And most importantly: Where does God fit in your...