17 Hours Per Day

Sleep experts recommend that adults get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night. That leaves 17 waking hours. How do you spend them?

It’s not often that we think about our waking hours. All too often we are busy moving so fast that our time seems to speed by. But if you take one day and break it down for yourself, you’ll see just how much you ask yourself to do in 17 hours.

Do you see yourself in this sample schedule?

Wake up, get dressed, have breakfast.

Get the kids dressed and fed, clean up.

Head to work—whether it’s through a commute or into your home office.

Work at your computer.

Take a few snack breaks and a break to walk the dog.

Work at your computer.

Head home and make dinner. Eat dinner and clean up.

Get the kids to bed.

Work at your computer.

Watch TV.

Go to sleep.

While your daily schedule may look slightly (or very) different, many people live by this eat-work-break-work-and work some more scheduling. Where is the time for you?

Take a moment to write down your own personal schedule. Then revise it to make time for yourself. Surely in 17 hours there is time for a Qigong practice! Try holding The Dragon Stands Between Heaven and Earth for 30 minutes. This will give you a quick, rejuvenating boost to get you through your day.

Where else can you make time for you? Take short breaks throughout the day to get outside and enjoy the crisp fall air. Take breaks to eat a meal. (And make sure it’s not while sitting at your computer!) And take breaks to do something you love—be it tending to an indoor plant, calling a friend, or working on your quilting project. Taking small breaks from work and your computer will refocus and rejuvenate you, having the side benefit of making you more productive in the end.