How Many Hours Are In Your Day?

Miss Gisele B. Says:

December 6th, 2007, 0:55 am

Hi Leo,

I use my three hours to cook (I love cooking) and train. I agree with you. I’m a huge beliver in keeping your body fit in order to keep you mind fit!

The blog has been eating up more and more of my time, so I’ve lost a lot of my non-business related reading time.

Gisele

Miss Gisele B Says:

December 6th, 2007, 0:58 am

Hi Leo,

I’m obviously quite tired because I made one too many typos in my short comment.

I do apologize for that.

I still do mean what I said: keeping your body fit is essential in keeping your mind fit (and strong)!!!

Gisele

Charles Wilson Says:

December 6th, 2007, 1:05 am

3 hours? One hour at the gym. One hour socialising on some days. Else the “extra time” is spend on work in the office!

Corey Says:

December 6th, 2007, 2:23 am

I’ve recently freed up a lot of free time, but I’ve been recently disappointed in how much of it I’ve wasted and how little of the things I wanted to do, done. I suppose in my free time now I should get back on the wagon of productivity while still trying to manage the balance of enjoying my free time.

Kevin X Says:

December 6th, 2007, 2:33 am

I am trying to do the impossible of getting “25″ hours a day into my life. Hehe yeah I’m pretty optimistic but I’m very realistic with myself.

I’m a 16 year old student thus I am juggling many many things like the typical overachiever trying to get into college. But I don’t tend to get stressed or nervous about anything and enjoy my moments of life. I still want my time to talk to friends, play games, and be with my family but I still have huge amounts of homework so how did I compensate?

For the last 3 years of my life I sacrificed my sleeping time (sometimes 2 hours a day for a week straight). That was a huge mistake on my part and I have paid. But I have miraculously reformed and now I am able to do so much more in the same amount of time. And I am getting more sleep now than ever too (6-8 hours)!

My secret? I think I’ve just become wiser and do my work faster. I found that secret motivation to do even the most boring tasks quickly and efficiently thus more time to do the things I enjoy like read your blog =D

Free Fall Creative Says:

December 6th, 2007, 3:41 am

I tend to use my three hours to work out and then relax. Not a lot of my day is free to do anything worthwhile (as far as NON work goes) so I like to break away from it, walk, work out and then just relax. Normally though, I don’t even get those three hours :)

Mike

zero255zero Says:

December 6th, 2007, 3:47 am

I find that cleaning is actually therapeutic for me, although it doesn’t take up 3 hours a day.

Ivan Says:

December 6th, 2007, 4:01 am

I have more than 3 hours left over. I don’t have a family and it takes me just around 20 minutes to go to work (hey, Switzerland is small :) ). BUT: I have to confess that I don’t use this time just for meaningful or “good” things. This will be one of my major goals in 2008: To use my time more “useful”. Now I use this time for me, my love, my hobbies (pool billard, photography, reading) but I also use some of this time for nothing (surfing the internet, watching TV etc.). I have to find a better balance for myself.

RobD Says:

December 6th, 2007, 4:14 am

Mine are usually spent writing, I am working on my first novel. If not actually writing it I am usually researching it or editing it!

This is actually working towards my goal of freedom from the office, so it is my most productive, positive time. I am lucky to have a 10 min commute, and don’t that often need to work long hours, so I probably get mroe than your 3 hours per day. Don’t they just fuill up fast though! I would love to have more time for excercise, my passion for cooking, my girlfriend (Who doesn’t live with me as yet, so takes more time than a close knit family to squeeze in those precious quality moments), my family etc etc etc.

The trick is most definately 100% to enjoy each and every moment, to be *in* the moment and wring every little last drop of positivity out of it that you can. If you can’t find any positivity, then just take it as an experience. Learn from it, whatever *it* is.

Moataz Says:

December 6th, 2007, 4:29 am

i surprised by your blog !!
it’s amazing
and you are great man
and about myself i started from today do somethings i had read from your blog yesterday
and thak u very very much for inspiring me

i think the main difference between us and u , leo
that you put all the right things in ACTION NOW !

and i hope you accept me as a new guest and learner on ur blog

with my best wishes,
Moataz

Camilla Says:

December 6th, 2007, 7:17 am

It’s funny, i had a little moment of realisation when i was reading this and thinking about my own lack of free time. I don’t have a family to support, or work to take home, and yet i never seem to have free time. And i found myself blaming my need for sleep, and feeling bitter than i can’t cope on less than 9 hours without feeling miserable (i get pretty depressed if i get less than that, and i spend weekends getting about 11 hours a night to recharge).

And then i thought - what kind of attitude is that? You’re not *wasting* time, your body obviously needs this time to digest your busy life, to recover, to build resources for the next day. Your brain needs it to process and mull over things that have happened, to build strength for coping for what comes next, to help you do the best you can the following day! I was taking my body for granted, thinking it didn’t need its own time, when it does.

Just thought i’d share that attitude shift with everyone, in case any else reads your ‘6 hours a night’ requirement for sleep and feels jealous!

Plus i *do* have free time, i just need to learn how to use it well, and not waste it away mindlessly.

Good subject for a post, i think i’ll give it some thought!

Alex Says:

December 6th, 2007, 7:24 am

I use my time learning Spanish. I just started by using a program from the library. It’s amazing what the library has.

Adios Amigo,

Alex

Cindy S Says:

December 6th, 2007, 7:35 am

I work 8 or so hours a day. When home I have general house type things to do for another 3 hours or so. I spend some time working on my blog, reading email. Of late, I have trying to make free time more productive and have spent a lot researching. Normally I would spend an hour or two reading for pure enjoyment.

Kenneth Says:

December 6th, 2007, 7:54 am

Just about to write an article about time management and you’ve come up with this post. Nice timing pal, will be a great resource for me to be link to.

For my extra time, I would like to spend on gaming because that is how I relax myself after hours of work on the internet.

Just would like to give some advice here, workout might be the best choice to fill the extra time. Excersise gives you healthy life.

Tim Says:

December 6th, 2007, 8:21 am

I strive to be aware of ever single moment as if it were my last. That way no matter what I am doing, it is my time.

Good thought starter Leo!

Mary Says:

December 6th, 2007, 8:43 am

We moved in July and left our tv unplugged. Boy, that frees up some time! I also try to always have something with me to do. That way, when I am stuck waiting somewhere, I see it as an opportunity - not a waste of time. Thanks for your insights!

Mark Says:

December 6th, 2007, 9:00 am

Hi Leo ~

Since I blog in my “free” time…

Today I am working on a post about “Ten Things You Should Know About the Situation in Darfur” that I will post tomorrow. And I am also going to put together the Bio for your interview that we did, which will get posted next Tuesday.

I hope you enjoy your down time!! You certainly deserve it.

Lori Says:

December 6th, 2007, 10:02 am

The first thing I need to do is to examine how much time I really do have after my ‘must do’ work is finished. I suspect it is more than 3 hours a day though. That’s my goal for today. I do know that my time isn’t well spent.

Anne Says:

December 6th, 2007, 10:48 am

I did this calculation some years back and discovered that I had exactly no free time and decided to live with it. That led to a nervous breakdown. Not a good idea.

I think Leo that you are lucky and you must be doing something right that you only need 6 hours of sleep. I typically need between 8 and 10 which is a lot. I think that my body is recovering from the zero free time that i loved with for years.

Right now I have a lot more free time which I spend reading, writing, de-cluttering, playing with animals and napping, phoning or visiting friends. I want to move toward spending more free time doing artwork which I think will happen as the de-cluttering progresses.

Thanks for this post. Even though you maybe weren’t feeling it, this is a good thought. Sometimes our free time needs to be just free and fairly aimless.

Lee Says:

December 6th, 2007, 11:03 am

I’ve worked hard to have a fairly optimized day that has good balance. I get up at about 6am to do my morning cardio workout and get to work about 7:30. I’m only 5-10 minutes away from work so that doesn’t really chew up much time. I eat my lunch at my desk and take my “actual” lunch break from about 2-3pm when I go to the gym for my free weight routine. I promptly leave work at 4:30 except for the craziest of days, which thankfully don’t happen too often.

So that said, I have about 6 hours before I head to bed at 10:30, minus maybe an hour for food prep/eating/cleanup.

Now that probably sounds great, but I usually don’t do anything with my free time. I’ve got a guitar collecting dust that I should be playing, a few business ideas rolling around in my head I could be working on, but usually I just end up watching some TV or playing a game on my computer.

Like Ivan mentioned, one of my major goals for 2008 is to use my free time to be more productive, and do the things that I actually care about, rather than mindlessly watching TV. I don’t want to cut out the “fun” stuff, but I think I could strike a better balance, and get some things done that I would find really rewarding.

My goal for this year was to stream-line my day in general and make exercise part of my life, and I’ve accomplished that! Now I’m ready to tackle my spare time.

This is my first comment I’ve left, however I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now. I find your articles both inspiring and relaxing, as I’m able to take quick breaks here and there throughout the day to read your posts. Keep up the great work!

Mich Mash Says:

December 6th, 2007, 11:15 am

I spend 24 hours a day, less 8 for sleeping, doing everything that I am passionate about. Reading, drawing, painting, mothering my son, cooking, taking pictures, traveling. I even enjoy cleaning my house and running errands. Life is meant to be enjoyed. No sense in doing anything if you aren’t passionate about it!

Incidentally, you really should get some more sleep. Six hours isn’t enough. Brain need rest!

cellie Says:

December 6th, 2007, 11:24 am

I am working on my time management big time. In my free time I spend it thinking, trying to come up with new ideas for blogs, or to increase my income, or to improve my life, practicing Tae Kwon Do, trying to find a new job and reading - what I do out of that list just depends on the day.

SESCOMM Says:

December 6th, 2007, 11:53 am

WOW, this story was quite a wake-up call! It prompted me to work out my “daily numbers” to find I had one hour a day for my life. It is so essential, not only to you, but also to the world, that you make time to pursue your dreams and take care of yourself. Only then do we have the ability to make the world better. Thanks!

Katy Says:

December 6th, 2007, 12:20 pm

I want to join the many voices saying that sacrificing sleep is by far not the healthiest way to circumvent these time limits. When you have a body that really, truly only needs about 6 hours of sleep, that’s a blessing! But as I know too well, it doesn’t help to pretend you have that when you don’t.

I tend to need at least 8 to 9 hours, but for a long time, and starting in high school, I was averaging (averaging!) 5 hours a night. Needless to say, this was gunning for a burnout. When burnout inevitably visited itself upon me, I slowed down because I had to, not because I wanted to. I gave myself rest for maybe a few weeks — if that.

This pattern repeated for years before I learned that, though sleeping less might allow me to increase the quantity of my activities, it seriously diminished their quality. I was constantly tired, distracted, forgetting things, unable to concentrate, and getting sick a LOT more often than I do now.

For me, getting out of this pattern was (and is) a long process of learning what I really want and need as opposed to what I only think I want and need. The strategy is to do all of what I need, a moderate, sane amount of what I want, and none of the extraneous stuff!

Hilary Says:

December 6th, 2007, 13:06 pm

Yet another vote on the importance of sleep…. I highly recommend that anyone who thinks sleep is a luxury read The Promise of Sleep by William C. Dement. It’s fascinating and also eye-opening. I’ve been trying to get at least 7 1/2 hours a night since I read it several years ago, and though I don’t always succeed, I find it to be absolutely true that if you are sleeping as much as your body really needs, YOU WILL GET THE TIME BACK through being more alert and productive. It’s also enlightening about how you do need *some* sleep debt to get to sleep easily and sleep soundly, so as always it’s a balance. Leo, you may be one of those lucky people who needs less than average, but you owe it to yourself to make sure that’s really true. It’s too easy to fool yourself and lose touch with your body’s real sleep needs.

And if you have kids… you must read Po Bronson’s eye-opening article on how much loss of sleep hurts children’s brain development: http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/

Lack of sleep also makes it easier to put on weight and harder to keep it off. It’s shocking how little we really know about sleep and its purpose, but science has been making great strides lately, and every new piece of research seems to emphasize how important it is!

Anita Hohl Says:

December 6th, 2007, 14:28 pm

I have Bel Canto on my nightstand.. Maybe I will read it today, on your advice!

Cameron Says:

December 6th, 2007, 14:45 pm

I think I did it wrong - my day came out to 24-28 hours! Between work (8 hours), commute (1.5 hours+), blogging (3-4 hours), errands (1-2 hours), eating & cooking (1-2 hours), sleeping (8 hours), and grooming (.5 hours), and watching TV (1-2 hours, although it’s often in combination with blogging). Hmmm, maybe I’m multitasking more than I planned to…

Matt Says:

December 6th, 2007, 15:17 pm

I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep. Maybe 2 hours are spent eating. An hour getting ready and driving in to office and another 30 min back. Another 8 hours doing routine stuff at work. Maybe another hour doing errands, paying bills, going to the grocery store, or whatever else needs to be done. Another hour for the gym.

24 hours - 7 - 2 - 1.5 - 8 - 1 - 1 = 3.5

I spend my 3 1/2 hours smoking pot and vegging out on the couch in front of the TV. Nothing says “time to relax” like puffin’ on some weeeeeeed. I smoke the hell out of it the minute my chores and routines are complete. Then the mind numbing drugs work their magic and take me to a state of pure relaxation as I watch a bit of TV before bed. I highly recommend smoking the marijuana. If possible try to hook up with some sour diesel…it’s the shiz-nit!

Tina Says:

December 6th, 2007, 15:21 pm

This is a great post that reminds me of the importance of being productive. If I only have four hours to spare, I’d rather it be for working out (1 hr), personal growth/working on my life plan (.5 hr), strengthening my friendships (1 hr), writing and building an audience for my blog (1.5).

So often I find that I can waste an entire evening by “relaxing” in front of the TV or getting sidetracked online. Every moment does count!

Interestingly, this is also the way we should look at our finances. After paying bills, buying groceries, investing in retirement/savings, is there anything left? If so, what are we going to do with those dollars. If not, how are we going to spend our leftover time to increase our dollars.

gale Says:

December 6th, 2007, 16:35 pm

i always thought to myself: “there aren’t enough hours in a day”. then i discovered that even if there were more hours in a day, that wouldn’t really matter cause i’d probably spend the same proportion of time on things i’m doing with the curernt time. i believe time is all a matter of discipline. terrific post, and i just have to say I LOVE your header, it looks ultra cool.

Jake Tan Says:

December 6th, 2007, 17:03 pm

Ahh, to be productive…

Albert | UrbanMonk.Net Says:

December 6th, 2007, 17:03 pm

I spend most of my free time contemplating and meditating…sounds very strange I know. But it feels better than most entertainment hehe. Not a good reason to meditate, but true.

Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.

Neal Says:

December 6th, 2007, 19:10 pm

Reading, and a lot of sport. Try to get some contact into my friends regularly also!

Tina Su - Think Simple Now Says:

December 6th, 2007, 20:12 pm

I spend my free hours working on my blog (which started as a hobby and is starting to shape into a second full time job). I also spend time with my little family (my partner adam and our dog tommy). We have date nights where we are not allowed to work or touch the computer. :)

I was actually thinking about this topic this morning, how I just realized how little time I have in a day to just myself to pursue my passions. Since the birth of my blog, I’ve had very little time to do the other things I love: reading and meditation. (Albert, you are not strange, I think it’s super cool and wished I did more of that.)

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

December 7th, 2007, 0:13 am

Seeing as there’s enough time for work and play (the beauty of priorities) I spend my free time doing nothing. Isn’t that the point? Lol…

Simonne Says:

December 7th, 2007, 11:33 am

3 hours? One hour goes to playing with my cat, and two hours go to my friends. since I’ve decided to work from home, I got two extra hours for myself, which I spend reading.

Monica Ricci Says:

December 8th, 2007, 0:58 am

Leo, I often use this “net time” concept when I teach. It is a real eye-opener for most folks to realize that there are indeed 24 gross hours in a day, but waaaaay fewer “net” hours leftover to work with.

It’s no wonder people are so busy… they’re trying to cram more stuff into their net time each day than there is actually time FOR.

~Monica

mike williams Says:

December 8th, 2007, 9:40 am

It is not only a question of what you do with your three hours but also a question of what you do within each of the segments that you substracted to arrive at your 3 hours.

For example… you mentioned your grooming time. I’ve expanded on that over here…

(http://zonebyzone.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-many-hours-in-your-day.html)

…to demonstrate the opportunity in the grooming time that might help you maximize your 3 hours of opportunity.

Your question inspired me to write this post. Thank you for the inspiration. I hope this adds to the discussion.

christine W Says:

December 8th, 2007, 12:06 pm

Spend some time working out, rest with my husband just simply chilling, or with friends swirling wine in a glass being social.

jimdmcd Says:

December 9th, 2007, 12:02 pm

One of my gym routines is 3hours long.
Like many others that have commented I think I would/will use it that way.
Plus I can sneak in some ESPN while on the treadmill (multi tasking :) ! !)

Diane Says:

December 9th, 2007, 13:58 pm

I have 4.5 hours left over after I subtract sleeping, traveling to and from work and work itself. I try to squeeze as much learning how to play a musical instrument into that remaining time that I can. Learning how to do things gives me more pleasure than almost anything else, and always opens doors to new things I hadn’t thought of, such as new jobs, new friends, new things to do, parties to go to.

What I really wish was instead of extra hours I had extra months so that I could travel the world or go backpacking in the wilderness.

Jen Says:

December 10th, 2007, 3:39 am

The blogs I have right now are my hobbies and passion. So, my 3 hours are the blog and any other writing projects I have.

MatthewT Says:

December 10th, 2007, 12:24 pm

I come up with ~5 hours after my calcuations, not too shabby I suppose.

Sal Says:

December 17th, 2007, 2:04 am

One key thing is to cut the amount of time spent commuting. Use your talents to find jobs where you can either work from home or work flexible hours so less time is spent in traffic. Also, you can cut time in the shower, and it will save water too! Test yourself - see if you can get yourself washed in one minute instead of eight minutes! Maybe instead of making breakfast, whip out a Clif Bar and eat it in the car on the way to work. I’m finding that I have a lot more time than I think.

vincent Says:

April 21st, 2008, 15:30 pm

I tried to have 9 hours. Do not surprise, I am a student right now. Some compared with the author, I am kind of lucky which is some thing I’ve never realized before. The other thing that I’ve never realized before is that every “net hour” I have is so precious and I have to spend other 1.5 hour to fight for this one single “net hour”. Thanks for this amazing article to help me figure out another attribute of time.