Time is finite. Each day, we have just 24 hours to spend on our pursuits. Between 6 and 8 of those hours are dedicated to sleep, leaving us about 16 waking hours. How we spend that time directly impacts our lives and the lives of those around us.

As life progresses, there are always new activities that we want to take on. Our interests change and, while we decide to abandon some pursuits, we find new ones that interest us. Despite our changing desires, the one thing that doesn’t change is the amount of time that we have to allocate.

More likely than not, you’ll find yourself in a position where you’ll want to add something new without taking anything away. In those cases, what do you do?

The best thing to do is ask yourself the tough questions.

• Is this more important than something else?
• Is this worth waking up earlier?
• Is this worth going to bed later?

While it can be very easy to whitewash the answers, the most sure guide is to test the change. Make a decision about the changes that you’ll need to undergo and then give them a try.

The results of a test are a better guide than any series of questions. Tests give you actual answers that are completely truthful. Answers to questions can be swayed by bias.

Managing your schedule is a perpetual balance. By being proactive, you can strike the right one.

Tags: Productivity