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But remember； at the start； those ninety nocturnal minutes thrice a
week must be the most important minutes in the ten thousand and eighty。
They must be sacred； quite as sacred as a dramatic rehearsal or a tennis
match。 Instead of saying； 〃Sorry I can't see you； old chap； but I have to run
off to the tennis club；〃 you must say； 〃。。。but I have to work。〃 This； I admit；
is intensely difficult to say。 Tennis is so much more urgent than the
immortal soul。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
VI REMEMBER HUMAN
NATURE
I have incidentally mentioned the vast expanse of forty…four hours
between leaving business at 2 p。m。 on Saturday and returning to business
at 10 a。m。 on Monday。 And here I must touch on the point whether the
week should consist of six days or of seven。 For many yearsin fact； until
I was approaching fortymy own week consisted of seven days。 I was
constantly being informed by older and wiser people that more work； more
genuine living； could be got out of six days than out of seven。
And it is certainly true that now； with one day in seven in which I
follow no programme and make no effort save what the caprice of the
moment dictates； I appreciate intensely the moral value of a weekly rest。
Nevertheless； had I my life to arrange over again； I would do again as I
have done。 Only those who have lived at the full stretch seven days a week
for a long time can appreciate the full beauty of a regular recurring
idleness。 Moreover； I am ageing。 And it is a question of age。 In cases of
abounding youth and exceptional energy and desire for effort I should say
unhesitatingly： Keep going； day in； day out。
But in the average case I should say： Confine your formal programme
（super…programme； I mean） to six days a week。 If you find yourself
wishing to extend it； extend it； but only in proportion to your wish； and
count the time extra as a windfall； not as regular income； so that you can
return to a six…day programme without the sensation of being poorer； of
being a backslider。
Let us now see where we stand。 So far we have marked for saving out
of the waste of days； half an hour at least on six mornings a week； and one
hour and a half on three evenings a week。 Total； seven hours and a half a
week。
I propose to be content with that seven hours and a half for the
present。 〃What？〃 you cry。 〃You pretend to show us how to live； and you
only deal with seven hours and a half out of a hundred and sixty…eight！ Are
you going to perform a miracle with your seven hours and a half？〃 Well；
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
not to mince the matter； I amif you will kindly let me！ That is to say； I
am going to ask you to attempt an experience which； while perfectly
natural and explicable； has all the air of a miracle。 My contention is that
the full use of those seven…and…a…half hours will quicken the whole life of
the week； add zest to it； and increase the interest which you feel in even
the most banal occupations。 You practise physical exercises for a mere ten
minutes morning and evening； and yet you are not astonished when your
physical health and strength are beneficially affected every hour of the day；
and your whole physical outlook changed。 Why should you be astonished
that an average of over an hour a day given to the mind should
permanently and completely enliven the whole activity of the mind？ More
time might assuredly be given to the cultivation of one's self。 And in
proportion as the time was longer the results would be greater。 But I prefer
to begin with what looks like a trifling effort。
It is not really a trifling effort； as those will discover who have yet to
essay it。 To 〃clear〃 even seven hours and a half from the jungle is passably
difficult。 For some sacrifice has to be made。 One may have spent one's
time badly； but one did spend it； one did do something with it； however ill…
advised that something may have been。 To do something else means a
change of habits。
And habits are the very dickens to change！ Further； any change； even a
change for the better； is always accompanied by drawbacks and
discomforts。 If you imagine that you will be able to devote seven hours
and a half a week to serious； continuous effort； and still live your old life；
you are mistaken。 I repeat that some sacrifice； and an immense deal of
volition； will be necessary。 And it is because I know the difficulty； it is
because I know the almost disastrous effect of failure in such an enterprise；
that I earnestly advise a very humble beginning。 You must safeguard your
self…respect。 Self…respect is at the root of all purposefulness； and a failure
in an enterprise deliberately planned deals a desperate wound at one's self…
respect。 Hence I iterate and reiterate： Start quietly； unostentatiously。
When you have conscientiously given seven hours and a half a week
to the cultivation of your vitality for three monthsthen you may begin to
sing louder and tell yourself what wondrous things you are capable of
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
doing。
Before coming to the method of using the indicated hours； I have one
final suggestion to make。 That is； as regards the evenings； to allow much
more than an hour and a half in which to do the work of an hour and a half。
Remember the chance of accidents。 Remember human nature。 And give
yourself； say； from 9 to 11。30 for your task of ninety minutes。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
VII CONTROLLING THE MIND
People say： 〃One can't help one's thoughts。〃 But one can。 The control
of the thinking machine is perfectly possible。 And since nothing whatever
happens to us outside our own brain； since nothing hurts us or gives us
pleasure except within the brain； the supreme importance of being able to
control what goes on in that mysterious brain is patent。 This idea is one of
the oldest platitudes； but it is a platitude who's profound truth and urgency