"Just For Me" Part of the Day
This is what I had in mind: That part of the day would be work, part of the day would be for health and fitness, and then another part, the "just for me" part, of the day would be for something to do with neither, especially as it relates to work.
My day has some structure, that's true. I do try to optimize, and I do an OK job. But it has to be even more structured. Right now work and fitness are there. But the "just for me" part gets consumed and displaced by work. It happens over and over again.
I am 53 years old. There is no magic time in the future when all of these things are just going to fall into place. That's not going to happen. I have to deliberately structure it now. I have to start now, even if it is in a very small way, even if it is just for 30 mins. At least that would be something deliberate.
I have to determine what "retirement" will look like for me, and I have to start now. There is no other time to start.
An important point here is that when I have my "just for me" time, I must ignore all thoughts and ideas and worry about work. Work-related thoughts and feelings must be ignored. I must have some form of non-attachment with respect to my work. Do the strategy, do the tactics, execute and get things done. Then be done with it. Close off that part of the day and draw a line in the sand. Put in a box for safekeeping and then open back up the next day and go again.
Today was pretty OK. I did the important things. But I did not anything in there that was "just for me". Nothing. It was not scheduled at all. It needs to be scheduled so that it can be deliberate.
It's going to feel like you should be doing more with the day for a long time, so you have to get used to the feeling but do not let it control you. Do the work, and then leave it. There has to be that separation for this to work.