The work-life balance is a delicate thing. It can sometimes feel like putting more effort into one takes away from the other, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If we took as much time to plan as we did to worry, we wouldn’t have anything to worry about in the first place. By implementing some tough-love strategies with ourselves, we might find that we have ample time for all the callings in our lives.

Fundamentally, time management is about naming your highest priorities. It sounds simple, but once you cut the fluff in your day — watching TV, having a few beers with your college buddies, flipping through social media — you get down to the harder choices like choosing between that business conference or your son’s baseball game. Those aren’t always easy decisions to make, and they reveal where loyalty truly lies. It will help if you make deep commitments before the moment of decision challenges your priorities.

The good news is that it’s never too late to change. There are a myriad of resources to help in this technological age. Need some time off? Consider outsourcing that last project of the day, hiring another part-time employee, or delegating some of your tasks to a trusted partner to take some of the pressure off. If these options don’t fit your budget, maybe it’s time to find out what time of day is best for you to get a little work done. Do a trial-and-error test run: work just in the morning, just in the afternoon, or just at night. Once you’ve found the sweet spot for your productivity, you’ll be able to make some changes that match the schedules of the ones you care about the most. So … what changes are you willing to make?