After the day-in and day-out ritual of schedules and demands, life can sometimes take on a monotonous tone that leads to boredom, frustration or depression. A discovery program is the perfect cure.

Take a set of index cards and write things youve always wanted to do, but have not made time for. One single fathers list looked like this:

o Learn how to scuba dive.
o Take an overnight hike in the Cascades.
o Spend a day making a photo essay of my children and family.
o Writing a book on the local culture.
o Enjoy an afternoon moviealone.

You get the idea. Take these cards and paper clip them into your planner using the extra time you created in your week to accomplish them.

A fun variation is to choose discoveries that fit into the two-hour time slots we devised in Step Two. Jot down ten or so, and then each week pick one at random to enjoy. The key is rediscovering all the newness offered by life, all the excitement and things awaiting our discovery when we only choose to make the time to live. This is also a great activity to do with children. Sit around a table and brainstorm ideas for the index cards and then aim to do one activity every week or biweekly.

De-cluttering your life will give you lots of extra time with your kids. Throw out (or give away) everything not used. Get rid of negative people and surround yourself with positive people. Maria C. Kleinbubm Maspeth, New York

Take a moment to allot a few blocks of time for yourself, your needs and your goals. Consider taking a personal day at work, if possible, to get yourself on track, organized and rejuvenated. You deserve it.

Making time takes time. But this is one of the most valuable ways to spend time. Dont let life slip away when you arent looking. Plan to liveto make the most of each day and your potential.