A major battle in life is how to best use the time we have. It’s a common problem, and not just for writers.

No matter the hectic pace of a day, there are moments of free time that fall into our laps. But, just because the clock grants you a moment or an hour of free time doesn’t mean that hour will be a productive one. It doesn’t mean you’ll have the mental energy to do good work. You may spend that hour starting at the screen, desperate to write a single sentence! Why does that happen,...