In order to do this without making life more stressful, it is important to prioritize and plan carefully. By doing so, I can save myself from wasting time and create opportunities to read, work on projects, and develop my talents. Cutting out excess TV has been a huge help. Now, instead of sitting on the couch each night, I am learning Spanish, reading good books, writing articles, etc. Even just spending one hour doing something "productive" pays huge dividends. I feel so much better about my life when I am acting and not being acted upon. Some nights I still just want to sit on the couch, but that's okay!