I liked this piece in Psychology Today:
Some of the most interesting solutions [to get more out of your time] ]involve figuring out how to do two things at once. [...]
For instance, I met a woman named Audrey Carlson several years ago who was struggling to figure out how to spend time with her friends and take care of her growing family. She started a group called “Chop and Chat.” Every Sunday six friends got together to cook at a member’s home. Each member brought the ingredients to make a different recipe that was then split into six portions. Members took home six different main courses for the week. Chop and Chat was an inventive way for the women to cook together, socialize, and prepare meals for their families.
Another example is venture capitalist Fern Mandelbaum. You would assume that meetings with Fern take place in her office… and you’d be wrong. Fern is an avid athlete and her meetings take place on hiking paths. Everyone who knows Fern knows to wear walking shoes and carry a bottle of water to their meetings in anticipation of a strenuous hike. Fern finds that this strategy is a great way to get to know each entrepreneur while also getting exercise.
Doing two things at once is something I practice with a passion. For example, if I’m not eating with someone, I’m always reading or listening to something interesting. When commuting or cooking or even brushing my teeth, I am usually listening to an audiobook on my mp3 player. It’s astonishing how much more you get done when you use this trick.