A lot of us entrepreneurs and artists always have a list of projects we want to do.

It's an impulse that is difficult to quiet. We could take up calligraphy, start a taco stand, record an album of songs played entirely on toy instruments, or finally sort that scary box of papers in the corner and see who we might owe money to.

It's a strange feeling when there is nothing to grow, fix, or tinker with.

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I'm a lot more high maintenance than I used to be.

I used to just need my laptop. Now, I need my laptop, plus my glasses. And my ergonomic laptop stand. And the light that makes me look less haggard on Zoom calls.

And then, since my laptop is up off of my desk, I need a separate keyboard and mouse, plus wrist rests.

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I always think that I want long, unbroken stretches of the workday to go deep on projects and get everything done that's on the day's to-do list.

But historically, when I have had those long stretches of time, I've squandered them.

It's too much pressure, and I'm not a machine. I can't always sustain my attention long enough to follow through on everything I said I would do.

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Years ago, I worked with one of my best friends as a contract teacher at a music school.

She taught violin, and I taught piano, guitar, and singing.

The nature of being a contract music teacher is that your schedule and income are shifting frequently. In general, the times directly after school fill up fast and then you get older students coming after dinner. Once you’re pretty well established, you can have a solid schedule with no gaps, from 3:00 PM until 7:00 or even 8:00 PM each weekday, and more on the weekends.

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From middle schoolers to experienced executives, I have seen the same challenge: We put ourselves last.

We show up where we’re supposed to show up, which is almost always at someone else’s behest, whether it’s math class or a client meeting.

Then, we tend to do the stuff that’s in front of us. For some of us, it’s eating snacks and playing video games; for others, it’s answering emails and phone calls.

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My team and I teach our students to create their own learning plans.

It’s exciting to empower them to make their own decisions about pacing. For instance, if they want to finish an algebra textbook by April 1, they might realize that they have to do two hours outside of class each weekday. When this “homework” is self-administered and in the service of a goal, they are much more enthusiastic about it.

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