This is an exercise in "managing your energy, not your time". For me the first several hours of the day are my most productive/creative, so I carve out at leas

This is an exercise in "managing your energy, not your time". For me the first several hours of the day are my most productive/creative, so I carve out at least a couple of those for my personal projects. Lately that's meant getting up early (5:30-ish) and prioritizing my own work ahead of my employer's.