The 5-Step 36-Hour Personal Development Plan

If you had 36 extra hours in your life each week, how much of that time would you dedicate to your personal development plan?

The reason I ask is because I have been challenged by my friend Edward Mills over at Evolving Times, as well as my pal Karen Lynch at Live the Power to say what I would do with the 36 hours that I would gain from using the concepts contained in the book ‘The 4-Hour Workweek‘ by Tim Ferriss.

Well, my first answer involved a hammock, a string of drinks with little umbrellas in them, and some location that I needed a passport to get to… However, when I realized I would have these 4 extra work days every week, I amended my answer to include something more related to personal development than learning how to properly dismount from a hammock after you’ve had too many drinks with little umbrellas in them. The following is what I came up with!

1) I would sleep more.

I’ll advise anyone who asks me that they should get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, yet I myself only get 5 or 6. I have a weird combination of wanting to stay up late AND get up early.  I would start off my 36-hour time expenditure by getting an extra hour of sleep each night. In fact, for the first day or two I would set my alarm for the same time that it goes off now just so I could have the pleasure of turning it off and going back to sleep!

2) I would meditate on a daily basis.

Right now, although I am fully equipped with everything that I need for productive meditation, due to the aforementioned 5 or 6 hours of sleep each night, mediation = clearing my mind in the middle of the day and then instantly falling asleep! With some extra time on my hands, I would do “by the book” meditating for 30 to 60 minutes each day.

3) I would practice martial arts.

I have gotten involved in Tae Kwon Do on 2 separate occasions, but both times I chose not to pursue it for various reasons. As I have traveled down the path of being both a personal trainer, as well as a personal development writer, I have come to fully believe in the innate and unbreakable connection between the body and the mind. After getting enough sleep, meditating for an hour, and then practicing martial arts for an hour or two every day, I would be both “zenned to the max,” as well as in very good physical condition!

4) I would spend more time practicing self improvement and personal development techniques.

I could burn through a solid hour each day actively visualizing, internalizing affirmations, and reading & studying my notes from more than 12 months of non-stop personal development and Law of Attraction teachings. I have notes about the notes that I wrote down about some notes that I wrote down before that! Yeah, I could fill an hour reacquainting myself with things that I already know, but that are no longer at the front of my mind as frequently as they should be.

5) I would play.

I saved this one for last because, in the end, isn’t this the goal – to have fun? I mean, I love what I do for a living, and I do it because I choose to. However, the ultimate goal is to spend more time doing things that have nothing to do with anything whatsoever. A short list of those activities would include; doing puzzles, putting together models, watching quality movies, reading fiction books, spending more time with friends & family, and even playing video games. I would do these things guilt free, and I would enjoy them for what they are – total down time.

So, there ya have it! I get asked the question “What would you do with an extra 36 hours each week?” and I can’t even answer that question without turning it into some sort of life lesson.

Sheesh. I think it might be time for me to unplug, go find that hammock, and call over the waiter!