Since the subject matter is about the lack of time to train, what about limiting time intentionally? A few years ago, I was training mostly for track racing at the velodrome with focus on the 2 kilometer pursuit and 500 meters. I was also doing some endurance riding on the road but mostly short efforts at the track.
My wife gets the idea, that we should race the state championship 40 kilometer time trial on our tandem. Racing 40K in the time trial position without enough saddle time just seemed wrong but I agreed to do it. She raced the 20K ITT in the morning and won and we raced the tandem in the afternoon and won that. However, I felt like I was sitting on sand paper for the last 10k and I suffered immensely.
The point is one can obtain a lot of fitness with not much saddle time but with a lot of intensity. However, without ample strength and adaptation in the saddle, longer rides are not fun. And I find that high intensity exercise is an appetite depressant versus longer, lower intensity rides makes me hungry. I am 2x BTS's age
if that makes a difference.