[syllogism]

You commute too long. That's where those missing 2 hours are going. My example's extreme, but:

  8:30 Wakeup, shower, breakfast
  9:00-9:50 Browse the net, email
  9:50-10:00 Walk to work
  10:00-18:00 Work
  18:00-20:00 Buy groceries, cook, eat, do dishes
  20:00-21:30 Relax in some way. May include tv, movies,  exercise. Sometimes extra hacking.
  21:30-01:00 Hack (may include leftover work)

[Markku]

You seem to stay up quite late. Unsustainable for me. Also making and eating breakfast takes for me at least 30 minutes at the moment.

Three years ago I had exactly the same 10 minute walk to work and then I did have more time available. However have to consider that:

1) Consultant usually works at client's location and client may change often, though I'm a counter-example of that myself. Moving often is not worth it. I consider my current location pretty optimal. A more central location creates more stress and costs way too much. I would believe it's more effective to just decide to work less hours every week for reduced pay but I'm not yet strong enough to commit to it :)

2) I do not spend any time travelling to shop, to exercise location or to do fun stuff. My travel time maximum is 2 hours every day - the shops, bars, movies, etc. are along the same route and do not increase time spent travelling in a day at all.

3) Car would not improve the situation. In fact it would be slower due to traffic. Or I would have to leave at 06 from home, way too early. And the tradeoff of money to time is ridiculous with so few other uses for a car. And there's the maintenance.

Thanks for the example. Maybe somebody else can chime in too.