(Another awesome guest post from Amy’s daughter Ashley!)  I can guarantee with 100% confidence that there is at least one common thread between everyone in the world—the rich, the poor, the lazy, the successful, the top dogs, the bottom feeders, and everyone in between. Each of us only has 24 hours in a day. That then begs the question, “What separates an Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Bill Gates, Sara Blakely, or Beyoncé (can’t forget Queen Bee) from the rest of the world?”

I believe the difference is how one chooses to allocate their time.

Take a second to think about your daily schedule. When are your most productive hours? When are your least productive? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my own daily routine. I’ve identified 1.5-2 hours of the least productive hours in my personal schedule every single day that I decided to take advantage of— driving in my car.

I normally use this time to sit in silence, stare at the car in front of me wondering why I didn’t leave 20 minutes sooner to avoid rush hour, build up road rage and frustration, or listen to music. When I thought about this huge amount of time with my undivided attention, I saw an opportunity to keep learning throughout my day.

I decided to start listening to podcasts in the car. Some of my favorites include, “How I Built This”, “TED Radio Hour”, “TED Talks Business”, and “Stuff You Should Know”. I’ve seen a huge change in my mood, creativity, learning, and excitement for life. I feel more invigorated and eager to work and create. I feel like I’m learning the tools I need to be more successful without having to set aside more time in my day I don’t have. I feel like I’ve turned my spare time into some of the most valuable hours in my day.

My invitation to you is to look at your daily routine and find your least productive hours. How can you turn that time around to be your most valuable? Maybe that means waking up an hour earlier than you normally would to write that book you’ve wanted to or turning off the TV at night to develop a talent you’ve always wished you could. YOU have the power to be better today than you were yesterday. YOU have the power to choose who you become. Do it.

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success if found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell

~Ashley Anderson Hill (daughter of Amy Rees Anderson)