“I’m too busy!” that was my go-to whenever I was looking to explain why I couldn’t take on a new project.
What’s interesting is that “being busy” is a luxury of those who aren’t all that busy. When you’re not loaded with tasks and work to do, the little work you are doing (or procrastinating from doing) will expand to fill all the time you have.
Whether you have ten things to do or three things to do, it’s going to take the eight hours you’ve given yourself.
Why not do five things, but limit yourself to a five-hour block of work? Force yourself to focus and streamline the process. Get more done in less time. Then spend your free time doing more work, or reading, or with your kids, or whatever you really want to be doing with yourself.