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Moderator Discussion Guide
Time & Energy Allocation
This assessment examines how participants actually allocate their time and energy, versus where they wish they were allocating it. The gap between reality and intention often reveals competing values, unclear priorities, or patterns of obligation. Use this guide to help participants design a life that reflects what actually matters to them.
PROMPT 1
Walk us through your typical week — where does your time actually go vs. where you wish it went?
Ask them to paint a picture: Monday through Friday, what's in the calendar, where's the dead time, when do they feel most alive? Listen for the gap. Often the gap points to something important. If they say "I wish I had time to exercise" but don't prioritize it, ask: "What would need to be true for that to become non-negotiable?" This reveals whether it's truly a priority or something they think they should want.
PROMPT 2
What obligation are you holding onto out of guilt rather than purpose?
This gets at invisible commitments. People often carry things they said yes to years ago or roles they feel obligated to play. Guilt is a powerful driver. Once they name it, ask: "What would happen if you let this go?" Sometimes the answer is relief; sometimes it reveals that the obligation actually matters to them. Either way, the clarity is valuable. They deserve to choose consciously.
PROMPT 3
What activity consistently gives you energy, and how often do you actually do it?
Everyone knows what fills their cup. Listen for the activities people describe with real aliveness in their voice. Then hold up a mirror: if something gives them energy and they rarely do it, that's a design problem, not a time problem. Ask: "What's one way you could do more of this?" and "What would you need to give up to make that happen?" Help them see this as a choice, not a constraint.
PROMPT 4
If you could reclaim 10 hours this week, what would you do with them?
This is a wish question. Their answer reveals their real priorities. Then ask the hard follow-up: "So how many hours per week are you currently spending on [things that don't make their top-5 list]?" The math often doesn't lie. If they're spending 15 hours on emails but only mentioned zero things they'd want to spend 10 hours on, there's a system design problem. Help them see they have more agency than they think.
PROMPT 5
What would your ideal Monday look like if you could design it from scratch?
This is imaginative and specific. Don't let them stay abstract—dig into the details. What time do they wake up? Who are they with? What are they working on? Once they paint the picture, ask: "What's preventing that?" Often the answer isn't what they think it is. Help them see which constraints are real and which ones are assumptions.
Tips for the Moderator
- Be careful not to shame anyone for how they spend their time. The point is alignment between values and choices, not judgment about what's "productive."
- Many people feel victimized by their calendars. Your role is to help them see where they have agency, even if it's small.
- Watch for people who say "I don't have a choice" about certain time commitments. Often there's a choice they haven't considered, or a value trade-off they haven't acknowledged.
- Energy is different from time. Someone might have 8 hours free but zero mental energy. Validate that distinction.
- If someone's ideal Monday is very different from their actual Monday, that's the real conversation. Help them identify even one thing they could change.
- End by asking: "What's one time or energy shift you could make in the next week?" Small wins build momentum.