Have you heard of the 8-8-8 rule before? If not, this blog post is definitely for you. Maximizing your day can be difficult, especially when you feel like you never have time to do anything besides work. Even then, you typically want to relax after that corporate job and don’t feel energized to do much else. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the 8-8-8 rule so you can learn how to maximize productivity throughout your day.
What is the 8-8-8 Rule?
The 8-8-8 rule breaks up our 24-hour day into three sections: sleep, work, and play. 8 hours of the day are gone because we need sleep to function and be energized. Another 8 hours go into work. For most of us, this is a full-time corporate job, but in general, regardless of your profession, 8 hours is a typical work day. Lastly, we have 8 hours left for us to figure out. This time should be spent in relationships, hobbies, and health.
Do We Really Have 8 hours?
Between getting up in the morning, getting ready for work, commuting, cooking, and getting ready for bed, you probably feel like all 8 hours are gone. Not to mention doing those regular house chores and everything else on a weeknight.
However, when we look at these 8 hours as time for ourselves, we can pinpoint whether we are using our time effectively.
We want to use these remaining 8 hours across multiple areas of life such as learning, self-care, exercise, relationships, health, hobbies, and more.
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Your Routines
I think today’s society has derailed the term “self-care” into an act that has to take endless amounts of time and be pure relaxation. That’s not always the case.
Say it takes 1 hour to get ready for work and eat a decent breakfast. Use this time to be present with yourself and do what makes you feel good. That is an act of self-care. It probably takes another 1 hour in the evening to prepare a meal, eat, and get ready for bed. Do the same here. Turn your morning and evening routines into self-care practices and rituals that help you get energized for the day and wind down in the evening, respectively.
That still leaves 6 hours.
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When Commuting to Work
Now we think about commuting. On the low end, you work from home and this takes you 30 seconds. But, on the high end, it hopefully takes no more than an hour. One hour each way reduces our time to 4 hours.
But, we can strategically use these two hours of commuting time to work for us. So now we’re back to 6 hours. What do we do with that time? I’m so glad you asked.
Listen to a podcast or an audiobook. Maybe you want to learn a language and can take the time to listen in on the way to work. If you want to be better about connecting with friends and family, these two hours are a great time to do that. This is time that you can be spent on learning or relationships, depending on what you prefer.
Now, we have successfully reoriented 4 out of 8 hours. What do we do with the rest?
Working on Yourself
Realistically, working out every day may not make sense. Or maybe you can work out every day, but it’s only for 30 minutes. When allocating the next hour, I like to switch between cooking and exercise.
Both of these are important for your body, and by taking them on alternative days, you can get the most out of your time. On the days I work out for 1 hour, I already have nutritious meals ready. On days I give my muscles a break, I am fueling them with healthy meals that I can make and keep for the next few days.
We often overwhelm ourselves saying we need to do everything all at once. Meal prep for the week. Work out every day. Instead, meal prep 3 meals at a time and workout every other day. You’ll probably get the same if not better results because you can dedicate the necessary time without stressing yourself out.
{Related Post: 9 Time Management Strategies to be More Intentional in Work}
The Last 3 Hours
The last three hours I give as a free-for-all all because you will always need some flexibility in life. If you choose to build relationships during your commute, this is your time to commit to learning. The switch also holds.
This can be your time to take an extra long walk or dedicate an hour a day towards a course or side hustle. If you live with your significant other, this is a time to share moments and bond. Or better yet, this is your time to sleep an extra hour because as women we need closer to 9-10 hours of sleep.
There are endless possibilities.
Audit Your Time
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When you audit your time you realize just how many hours you spend scrolling endlessly on social media or snoozing the alarm clock for no good reason.
Remember maximum productivity means using your time effectively and efficiently for what works for you. It’s not always about checking something off the to-do list. Take it one step at a time and don’t get overwhelmed when it feels like there’s less time in the day. It’s just about how you use that time. Use the 8-8-8 rule for maximum efficiency. Remember:
8 hours go to sleep
8 hours go to hardwork
8 hours goes to friends, family, hobbies, healthy, and learning as you see fit.
Final Thoughts
I hope you found this blog post on utilizing the 8-8-8 rule in your daily life to be helpful. Also, the weekends are always there for your chores, errands, and longer adventures. You don’t need to do everything every single day, but maybe this will help show that 8 hours is a decent amount of time that is wasted if not used properly. Comment below your thoughts!
With love,
Aditi <3
Aditi Rani – Figuring Out Life in Your Twenties
*Disclaimer: This is not professional advice. Some links are affiliate. By clicking and/or purchasing, I may receive a commission. It does not alter the price or change your buyer experience.
