Take a jar. To fill it, you have big rocks, medium-size rocks, and sand.
If you try to add sand and then medium rocks, they may fit, but you won't able to add big stones.
That's why firstly add big rocks, then medium and then sand.
That is the same with time.
Big rocks - big responsibility, your art.
Medium stones - commute time, smartphone usage.
Sand - chit chat, social media.
(if I correctly remember, it is from 7 Habits of Effective People).
You can do sand worthy work the whole day, but you can't get another job done. But you can do your responsibility, work on your art and can also do leisure work.
The biggest time-eater is a smartphone. (Thanks to their dead-simple UI and addictive strategies)
To get the sense of how much time you have spent on time, get a time tracker, and look. I have some days where I have spent more than 15 hours on the phone, and I didn't get any work done. And I also have some days were only 2 hours on the phone and written a lot.
Let's take the example of my art, writing. (I also love to do some graphic design, but that's another story for another answer).
I have set the goal to write 1000 words daily.
I can write anywhere, medium, Quora, my website, telegram, Etc. It doesn't matter. I have to push out 1000 words out there.
And yesterday was my first day, here so the results.
25 November - 1,414 words, all in Quora.
This article has (615).
The reason why I am making that extra effort to write down how many words I have written each day is.
“If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.”. - Peter Drucker
I get to know how much more I have to write.
And you may ask what I am going to do with that?
I will be going to plan the rest of the day according to how much I have to write more to achieve a daily target.
And look, your daily obligations and studies should be the chief priority.
And the second priority should be your art.
And the third priority should be your leisure.
Setting priority helps.
Let's take a case study.
I had classes a full day, now it's 8 pm, and I haven't written a single word. On the way back home, a friend of mine suggested me to watch this movie.
As I get home, before doing anything (even breathing), I have my new note out and written down following.
My first priority - my work - class revision, homework, etc
Second priority - writing - 1000 words aim.
Third priority - leisure - that movie the friend suggested to me after doing all the work, homework of my studies, classes Revision.
I get to work on my art at 10 am. And I usually achieve 650 words at the end of the day. Now it's 12:30 am and sleep time.
Another case,
Full day free, I had no class, just some of my study work. I have done 1000 words, even the day half ends.
Now, I can save drafts for other days, or I can write more.
I can also focus here on leisure. That movie my friend suggested to me.
In conclusion, get your priority correct. You may not find time is because you have the wrong priority. Write down all your priorities and order them.
Chetneet Chouhan
If you are looking to find books to read, I am working on curating books to read, and in which order to read. Not a generic 10 books list. So that you won't get confused about which book to read. Subscribe to my newsletter to get informed.
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