Optimize Time
The amount of time in each week is limited. Don't waste it.
I created a spreadsheet to identify sources of wasted time: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1f0x7OE_18n90BwnSZHhIze_-CeKupGsV47NCPUsHylM/edit?usp=sharing
It sorts them and color-codes items that will have the most bang-for-buck.
When I filled it in for myself, it turns out sleeping is the most important thing to optimize. I waste 30 minutes in bed each day, 15 waking up, and 15 before going to sleep. Also, I expect that my sleep quality can be improved so that I don't need so have as much sleep.
Create Free Time by Removing Activities
It seems to be much easier to add things to your life than to remove things from your life. Getting good at removing things from your life will allow you to have more free time which you can use for more important things. Here is a list of activities I've cut from my life:
- Watching movies
- Watching TV shows
- Video games
- Browsing Reddit
You might also have to make some tough decisions. For me that was chess. At one point, I was spending over 1 hour every day playing chess, watching chess videos, thinking about chess, even studying chess. I was also pretty good at chess, and my natural instinct was to become even better. But taking a step back, I realized that I don't need to be better at chess. Chess doesn't matter, it's just a game. So I no longer play chess, as it just wastes time, and in most cases it just stresses me out.
The best way to remove activities is to make them inconvenient and unsatisfying. I'm using BlockSite to prevent myself from playing chess. Speaking of making things unsatisfying...