As we get older, I swear the days get shorter, the list of things to do gets longer, and it feels like we have no time. But the reality is we all get the same 24 hours each day.
Yet it must be noted how we choose to use those hours that make the difference, and whether we’re just making it through life or living it to the fullest. Now, I know we are all different in our circumstances. Our jobs are different, our family units are of various sizes, and we face other challenges. I have a split shift, early rise, late finish, and a thought-related job filled with lots of communication and creativity. You may have a 9-5, 4 kids at home and 3 dogs, I don’t know, and I don’t think it matters if you follow the processes in this blog. We all live in today’s fast-paced world, and it’s easy to get caught up in everyone else’s priorities and let your goals fall by the wayside. If you want to accomplish the things that truly matter to you in your 24 hours, here’s a practical guide inspired by timeless wisdom and modern productivity insights to help you get more of what you want to be done in your 24 hours and to help you live more of the life you want, not the one that is making you a slave to the busy world we live in today.
Step 1: Multitasking Group Training with friends to Build Fitness and Friendships
One powerful way to make the most of your time is to combine goals that fulfil multiple areas of life. One way to do this is to mix your social life with your fitness life. At Vasse Strength and Conditioning, members hit two critical areas of life, fitness and social connection, by training together. Exercising in a group setting gives you accountability, camaraderie, and the thrill of progress while also letting you catch up with friends and feel part of a like-minded community.
In How to Live on 24 Hours a Day, Arnold Bennett wrote that the secret to reclaiming time is choosing “what to do with those few clear hours each day.” Group training is one of those things that brings clarity, energy, and accomplishment to your day, making it time well spent. You can also do that with people who share the same goals you have, lift you up, and make you feel a sense of accomplishment and rejuvenation. Why would you not?
Step 2: Start Booking Your Day Around Your Goals
Creating a structured schedule can be a game-changer in achieving your important goals. Booking specific times for tasks allows you to move from thinking about doing something to doing what needs to be done. This is personally one of the best things I started implementing after reading Chris Bailey’s Hyperfocus, where he reminds us that being intentional with your time, lets you prioritise deep, meaningful work and life tasks without getting sidetracked. I have found that by setting specific times to work on goals daily, you can cut through distractions and accomplish far more.
This also brings me to one point about time scheduling, which is very important. By starting your day with the things that are important to you, you will feel more like you are thriving than you are surviving. I always suggest making time for the essential things for you, which are the first thing you do in a day. So, If your day starts with a workout scheduled, that’s a non-negotiable commitment to yourself, it sets the tone for success throughout the day and leave more time for the other things that must be done at work and in life. Creating a clear plan in this way makes your goals feel tangible, turning the things you want to do into things you’ve done and does wonders for your sense of feeling in control of your days.
Step 3: To-Do Lists That Align with Your Values
Man, I used to hate to-do lists. They would overwhelm me and make me feel like a slave to disappointment. However, now I know how to navigate them. I make sure the tasks I have to do sit inside my value system. So basically, now that I know that my values are Fitness, Community, Knowledge, Loyalty, Integrity, and Time if a task doesn’t fit in there, it isn’t for me!
So, the key is, when creating a to-do list, don’t just write down tasks! Make sure each task aligns with your values and principles. In High-Performance Habits, Brendan Burchard emphasises that high achievers focus on functions that serve a deeper purpose, connecting each item on their to-do list to their long-term vision. Instead of merely listing out a set of things to accomplish, ask yourself, ‘How does this task reflect who I want to be and what I stand for?’
That is why I am so adamant now about writing blogs like this for you, the reader. To me, it is how we increase Knowledge. Whereas before, I would struggle to understand creating content, now I understand that if I value knowledge, it would be against my own value system to NOT produce blogs, videos, Instagram posts, or content I think is worth sharing.
This can be different for you and help you exercise more regularly or do anything you find valuable. For example, rather than listing “go to the gym” and questioning whether to go or not. If you value health, fitness, family, or anything that involves physical wellness, you could write, “Show up and give my best at the gym to improve my health and inspire those around me.” This approach gives you a sense of purpose and puts your principles into play, making each task more significant.
Step 4: Having Good Habits is the Key to Becoming Extraordinary
The Roman Philosopher Aristotle once said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do…’ He said, ‘Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit’. For our argument, let’s replace Excellence with Extra-Ordinary, and our message stays the same. Everyday habits create extraordinary outcomes over time. When you build daily routines that prioritise what’s important to you, you can break free from the mundane and set yourself on a path to excellence. Again, Andrew Bennett highlighted this in How to Live 24 Hours a Day, stating that dedicating just a few minutes each day to self-improvement should not be overlooked, arguing that “great lives are made up of little activities pursued daily.” Small actions, repeated day after day, add up to something extraordinary.
At Vasse Strength and Conditioning, our commitment to our members is that they can at least commit to a consistent workout schedule to help them become extra-ordinary physically and mentally. It allows increasing their endurance, discipline, and drive, becoming sharper with every session, creating a butterfly effect in other areas of their lives.
Step 5: Breaking the Mould Break away from Ordinary
Finally, I believe everybody wants to stand out; you can’t follow the same path as everyone else, and honestly, I don’t think anybody wants to. If you did, you would be reading this blog. The sad reality is that the average person wastes countless hours daily on mindless tasks. However, just by clicking on this blog, I’m sure you are done with that operation daily. Therefore, you can break away from the mould of the ordinary by just simply intentionally structuring your day around values-driven actions that file into the category of the things that matter to you. This means setting goals and connecting them with what you value, the habits that help you break past the ordinary and help you advance to the person you aspire to be daily.
You want to become stronger and healthier, build meaningful relationships, and grow your career. Maybe your purpose for these goals is because you value Family, which can be a powerful motivator.
The thing to note is that the family looks different for everyone. I don’t call my mum nearly as often as I should. I love her, but at this time of my life, I feel I must do everything for my community. At this stage of my life, they are everything. (Disclaimer: I love my parents to the moon and back, but the decisions I make daily aren’t for the strength of my family; they are for the strength of our community, which in my eyes includes Madi and the Boys, and they take priority in that community. Thanks for letting me justify my actions to you!) Community isn’t just a part of my life; it’s the filter I use for every choice. Whether I’m working out, spending time socialising, or handling tasks, I always consider how it impacts my community. This means I prioritise being there physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I don’t overwork myself to the point where I’m not present for them.
Maybe for you, family is the driving force. And if it is, make time to call your mum more often than I do. Ultimately, when you put what truly matters at the centre of your day, you’ll find fulfilment in every choice and every achievement.
So, If you’re ready to move past the ordinary and embrace a life of intention, start by making these changes to your 24 hours:
- Combine activities that fulfil multiple needs. Group training can help you spend time with friends while pursuing a goal of better fitness, all within the same hour.
- Book your day around your priorities. Give each goal you have a place in your schedule and treat it like a non-negotiable commitment.
- Build a value-based to-do list. Ensure every task reflects who you want to be and aligns with your bigger picture.
- Focus on habits that elevate you. Repeat small, positive actions daily to fuel extraordinary growth over time.
In the end, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is how you live each hour, day, and month. With intentionality and alignment, you’ll find more than enough time to create the life you want and enjoy it with the people who matter most—going about the regular daily output and into the daily extraordinary production.