Definitely prioritize and set some unbreaking time for things that have to be done no matter what. I have pretty much the same 4 in my list, except I’m now living with my fiance with 6 kids, so you can imagine my time is cut way beyond short!
Is your fulltime work ID related or unrelated. If ID related, it should be easier for you to get your sketching in. If not, sketch before work and on your breaks. Pick quick things to eat for lunch. I’m known for eating oatmeal, if fills you up, takes 30 seconds to make (even less time if you have a hot water spout on the cooler) and only takes 5 minutes to eat (as opposed to 15-20 min downing a burger and fries).
I give myself a mandatory 1hr sketch practice time everyday no matter what. I don’t have to concentrate doing the drills so they can get done while the house is in an uproar.
Give yourself definite cad practice times also. And if time is so locked up, do what I do…I keep tutorial pdf’s, and make notes from everyplace I see on cad strategies, rendering tips, etc…so even if the house is too distracting for me to actually work on cad, I can read and study the tips to help make it less things I have to wonder about when I actually can get on the machine. It really does help, I’ve done it before…reading instruction manuals and tips about a program I’ve barely had time to touch, then when I get a chance, I get up to speed really quickly. All depends on if you’re good at following directions and learning the idea/strategy behind what you’re reading which you can then apply, only thing you’ll need to actually practice is exactly where those tools are that you’re looking for and how to deal with those unexpected glitches.
For the workout, cut rest times between sets or do supersets. Gives you a harder workout in less time with more aerobic/muscular endurance emphasised. You’ll stay toned and can finish your weight training within 45 min to an hour, especially if you do a split routine (certain bodyparts for one day, spread throughout the week). If you’re trying to bulk up, heavier weight, less reps and sets, stick to core multi-joint moves, and you’ll still cut your workout time down.
Regular work time is hard if you’re working from home. Find a way to get everyone out of the house or be an ass, put on the headphones or earplugs and zone out. If you were away at the office you wouldn’t be there, so during your work time you’re “not there” (even if physically you are). If you do actually get to go to an office, consider your situation much better (unless you have a long commute!!)
Then make sure you have a set bed time/hours of sleep to get. It’s very important because you can try cutting into your sleep hours to do stuff but then you pay for it the next day by not being able to function as well (destroying your productivity).
In some extreme cases you may have to do a “time shift” where you sleep at a weird time like right after work from 7pm-2am, then get up when you have uninterrupted time (because everyone else is sleep).
Music is the hard thing because that can easily eat away at hours. My time for that is when it’s too distracting at home to do anything else, then that’s when I get those types of things done. So I put on the headphones and do some general track layout, finding samples, etc. No mastering of course but you can get a general feel or sound going pretty quick. Then you pull aside your saturday night when everyones sleep to bang through the important stuff, final mixdowns, etc.
Good luck to you, finding time is definitely a hard thing. Especially if you have lots of varied interests that you pretty much don’t have time for once you get older. Good luck, post your potential schedule. I know there was a thread awhile ago where people posted their daily schedules, might want to look that up.
Take care.
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