I love my work. But I also love:
• Working out and sports
• Quality time with family and travel
• Riding my Enduro motorcycle through epic trails… to mention just a few things.
Sound familiar?
Like you, I’m working with the same 24 hours.
And like you, I’ve felt that constant tension between work and life.
Here’s how I cracked the code to create more time without sacrificing success:
First, I had to get ruthlessly efficient with my working hours.
Two game-changers made this possible:
1. The 80/20 Rule: Focusing only on tasks that truly move the needle
2. Deep Work: Uninterrupted, focused time blocks
My enemy: Unnecessary interruptions.
Before the summer I expanded on social media marketing for one of my companies. So I re-installed Insta and even Tiktok on my phone.
You know….just to check the engagement on the new posts…
Big mistake.
Within 24 hours I was hooked and spent waaaayyyyyyy too much time on Social media.
The thing that hit me was how many times I checked the apps in Crazy-Junkie-Mode. That stuff is addictive by design.
Something needed to change.
Now, you might think, “Just use willpower!”
Trust me – as a former Special Forces Operator for 5 years, I know a thing or two about discipline.
But here’s what most people miss: willpower is like a muscle.
It gets tired. And sometimes, it needs a little help.
This is where I discovered something that transformed my productivity:
OPAL, the #1 Screentime app.
Why is this so powerful?
• It takes 23 minutes to regain focus after one interruption
• The average knowledge worker stays on task for only 42 seconds before getting distracted
• Every distraction leaves an ‘attention residue’ that clouds your thinking
OPAL helps by:
• Blocking distracting apps and websites during preset times
• Creating a “pause” before you can access distractions
• Making you conscious of your screen time habits
The results?
• Deeper focus
• Better mental health
• Up to a month of saved time per year
Think about that – a whole month of your life back. Do the math.
The alternative is that I just leave my phone in another room during deep work. But this is usually not practical.
This isn’t about working more.
It’s about working smarter so you can live fuller.
Those two extra hours?
They’re for that motorcycle ride, that family dinner, that workout that you know you should do.
Because at the end of the day, we work to live, not live to work.
Want to reclaim your time and attention?
Give OPAL a try. Your future self will thank you.
What would you do with two extra hours in your day?
PS: Enjoy this? Follow Robin Coenen for more.
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