Everyone says they don't have time. And honestly, most of the time they're right — in the sense that there are no obvious free blocks sitting unused in the calendar. But "no obvious free time" is not the same as "no time at all."

The goal of this article is to help you find 30 minutes. Not from some fantasy version of your week, but from your actual week, as it exists right now.

Start by tracking, not planning

Before you rearrange anything, spend three days just noticing where your time actually goes. Not where you think it goes — where it actually goes.

You'll almost certainly find time that surprises you:

  • Scrolling your phone in bed before getting up (often 15–20 minutes)
  • The gap between finishing dinner and actually starting whatever you do in the evenings
  • The commute, if you have one
  • The "winding down" period before sleep that usually involves a screen

None of these need to be eliminated. But they're real, and they're already yours.

The 20-minute minimum

Research on skill acquisition consistently shows that short, focused sessions are more effective than occasional long ones. 20–30 minutes of deliberate practice every day will outperform a two-hour session once a week — not marginally, but significantly.

This is good news. It means you're not looking for a big block of time. You're looking for a small one.

"It's not about finding time. It's about deciding what gets your time."

Practical places to look

Morning, before the house wakes up

If you have children, or a household that gets going early, getting up 30 minutes before everyone else is transformative. It's quiet, your willpower is fresh, and there are no interruptions.

Yes, it means going to bed slightly earlier. That's a real trade-off. But for many people it's worth it.

The commute

If you travel to work, even part of the week, that time is more flexible than it seems. You can't practise guitar on the Tube, but you can listen to podcasts in your target language, review flashcards, or listen back to recordings of yourself playing.

Lunch

A half-hour lunch break is genuinely enough for a focused practice session if you eat at your desk. This doesn't work for everyone, but it works for more people than try it.

Right after work, before you sit down

The moment you get home and sink into the sofa, the evening is over. It's not a character flaw — it's just how brains work after a long day. One strategy that consistently works: practice first, relax after. Even 20 minutes at the door before you decompress.

Make it frictionless

The single biggest predictor of whether you'll actually practise is how easy it is to start. Guitar left in its case in the spare room rarely gets played. Guitar on a stand in the living room gets picked up constantly.

Whatever your skill:

  • Leave materials out and accessible
  • Don't rely on motivation to overcome friction
  • Keep the barrier to starting as low as possible

One last thing

You don't need to find 30 minutes every single day. Five days out of seven is fine. Four is still progress. What you're building is a habit — and habits are built through consistency over time, not perfection.

Start with finding 20 minutes, three times this week. That's it.