Throw in maybe another job, kids, a mortgage, car payments, insurance, electric, gas, and food. And then ask how to balance your game. Lol!! You'll figure it out. We all do somehow. Priorities!! Best of luck with it. Don't ever give up!
Play Well,
Steve S.

Hahahah yes I was thinking about that. I suddenly have more empathy for my father now lol

Honestly, it is tough you need a lot of dedication, and I mean a lot of it. and I am by no means competitive in Golf right now, but on my youth, when I was heavily involved in soccer, it meant:
Up by 4:30 am, workout for an hour and a half.
Shower and breakfast, then get to school by seven. Leave school straight to my part-time job, where I worked until 7, back then our field was illuminated so we practice evenings, drills and game prep until about 9 pm, get home shower and dinner, then work on my homework. I was young and did not feel it at the time, I honestly enjoyed having such a busy day.
I did not become a pro baller, but having such a heavy schedule from a young age, did teach me how to handle stress and difficulties.
Hang in there, practice when you can, don't take your idle time for granted.

I'm with Steve S... Wait until you have kids! My handicap went down considerably once they were out of the house. I got down to a 1 for a couple years, then my wife started playing more. I'm glad she does, but every warmup or practice session, while I'm trying to concentrate on my thing she'll start with "What am I doing wrong?", so I don't get the range time I used to. My handicap has gone to a 3-4. Next season I'm going to have to start more noon hour short game and putting sessions.

Fortunately, those days are over. Retired in 2011 to resolve that issue. Worked five days a week and played on Saturday and Sunday. Now I play during the week and not on Saturday and Sunday.

Great attention to detail to plan for time to practice. Is there a driving range with lights? Can you spend 30 minutes a day less on social media, an hour less TV? Do you have other "time-wasters" in your life? We all have 24 hours a day - it's how we use the time.
In all fairness, I suffer time-wise as well with being the DIY'er for the house, and having a full time job and a new puppy. The inevitable conclusion is I need to work less. I could work past age 70, but the balance is not playing golf while I can still enjoy it. No one dies wishing they could have spent more time working.
Career-wise, choose carefully. Corporate law partners can make enough to buy into top flight private clubs, but then get to play 10-15 times a year.

I live right on a private clubs driving range so it makes it easy to walk over and get 20min of practice in. I have 2 young kids and 2 jobs so it's important to at least go chip and putt for 20min to keep the touch. Like exercising I wish I could get up and knock it out first thing in the morning but that never happens. It certainly takes commitment, maybe find a place to practice on the way to work etc... Also I have a nine hole league on mondays I have blocked out no matter what every week and play in a lot of weekend tournaments locally.

If you get the opportunity, get a job at a driving range or golf course instead. Most will allow you to play at a discount during off hours,and you're still making money.
Sure beats Walmart....

It’s a crazy thing and we all have a way of making it work for us. We all get the same 24 hours in a day. Sometimes it is just plain difficult. I spent the last eight years covering the mid Atlantic states, driving about 40-50k miles per year. I had my putter and wedge in the car. When I stopped for lunch or a break in driving, I would find the closest course, private or public, and just have my lunch on the putting green. Spent my hour putting and then, back in the car. Became a really good money putter.. next day wedge...one hour with lunch..

Like a lot of people have stated already it just takes good planning before heading out to the range. Any adult will tell you they never realized how much “free time” they had in school.

When I first started playing golf I would be at the range for 3-4 hours with no game plan. Now I’m able to go for an hour or hour and a half but I work on one area of my game. Weather it’s woods, irons, short game.

One thing that helps a lot is practicing what you can at home. I have a PuttOut Mat and I practice putting at home.

Key thing is you’re wondering how can you get a better practice in. Eventually you’ll figure it out because the desire is there.