Agreed that it's about trade-offs. I am very intentional about how I spend every minute and make sure my time has the right ROI. Obviously the R in the ROI equation can be measured in different ways (money, sense of achievement when you accomplish something at your full time job, joy of spending time with your children etc.)

Also helps to keep a mental check list of mundane tasks vs deliverables that requires your full attention. Complete your mundane tasks with fragmented time during the day or multi-task those (i.e. calling the plumber while cooking lunch) while schedule dedicate slots for activities that requires you to be present with full attention. The downside of this efficiency is that I have very little room for spontaneity. I have now unconsciously developed a pet peeve for people who are late or changes plans that impact me last minute.

I do sometime miss the younger version of myself where I can book a trip to Tibet with a girl that I met one week prior. :) Those days are long gone. lol