Before Breakfast Figure out how much time is actually available
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Nov 24, 2025 Discover the surprising truth about your available work hours! Routine tasks consume about 65% of your day, leaving only 2.5 hours for anything else. Learn why to-do lists can lead to stress when we overestimate our time. By tracking your routine tasks, you can better assess your actual discretionary time. Strategically approach new projects to fit your time constraints. With a clearer understanding of your schedule, you can create realistic plans and enjoy the satisfaction of completing them.
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Routine Work Eats Most Of Your Day
- Routine work consumes roughly 65% of a typical workday, leaving far less discretionary time than people assume.
- This math explains why daily to-do lists often take multiple days to finish and why people feel perpetually behind.
You Probably Have Fewer Work Hours Than You Think
- People often overestimate total work hours and underestimate routine time, shrinking available discretionary hours even more.
- A perceived 50-hour week may in reality be closer to 38 hours of flexible work time.
Measure Routine Tasks First
- Figure out how much time your routine tasks actually take each day by tracking email, meetings, and standard duties.
- Use that number to plan realistically and avoid committing to projects that will consume all discretionary time.