Tuesday, October 4, 2011

There IS Enough Time in a Day!

A recent comment reads:


"I'm amazed at all you get done, not just in those areas, but in life in general. How do you do it? I'm guessing you watch almost no television at all. Judy from Alameda, CA"


Let me preface what I'm about to say by reminding you that I am an Empty Nester. Which, by the way, makes all the difference in the world. Trust me, I well remember what it was like to have babies...life with children takes up a lot of time! 


And my favorite organizational tool these days is the ColorNote app. on my phone. When I think of something, I write it down. If I have a brilliant idea, or need to remember to get cheese at the grocery store, I write it down. 



                                              


Somehow, I do find a way to get some quiet time, take a walk, spend time with JR working on house and garden projects, and talking to my kids almost every day...that's a given. Every weekend, we are able to get together with friends, and go to church ( unless we are camping!). I do a lot on my lunch hour...errands, grocery shopping, thrifting. It's amazing how much I can get done in five hours during my work workdays, and of course, that means I don't have to do those things on the weekends, so we can squeeze in a get-away or the very least, a nap. 


As far as sewing, knitting or home dec projects go, I keep a journal, with an organized list, and I attack it with method and madness.        




   When I get an idea, I'm foucsed. Very focused. My husband plays ball on Tuesdays, so that tends to be some uninterrupted project time for me...and remember, sewing takes less time than shopping for clothes, and thrifting takes even less time than sewing!


   I keep up with the laundry during the week.
There's a place for everything and everything has it's place.
I'm more concerned about spending time doing the things I like to do than being obsessive about cleaning....if it doesn't get done one week, oh, well. I use small blocks of time to accomplish big goals...like cleaning the bathroom. Or decorating the front porch. Or cleaning out a closet.   


I'm in bed by 10:30 and awake at 5:45. Some nights we eat sandwiches, and that's okay. If I miss baking bread for the week, that's okay, too.   





   Certainly, a busy life comes with sacrifices. There ate things I think I should take more time to do: like reading more books like I used to, or seeing more of my family. Or planning a party. Or doing more to serve others. 


And as I shift and change and rearrange my priorities, I will always try to be more conscious of how I can better use my time.      


What about you, girlfriends?  Do you have any tips for wise time management?                                        


5 comments:

  1. Like you, I get up early. I am able to squeeze in 20 to 30 minutes of sewing before everyone wakes up. Then before I leave for work, I make sure the house is picked up, kitchen cleaned and bed made. Recently, I made several freezer meals, wonderful to have dinner made and just pop it in the oven.

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  2. Eek! 5.45am!
    I absolutely agree with having lists. One, because if I don't write it down, I forget it and also I enjoy that sense of satisfaction when you put a nice big tick next to something on your To Do list.
    By the way, your bread looks yummy! I have a recipe to try for some bread. Last time I made bread rolls somewhere along the way they turned into bowling balls! LOL!

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  3. "If you want something done, ask a busy person" My friend always said this (about me, I think) but it's true and the busier you are, the more you organize and prioritize (I sound like a bad rap song now) and just get things done. When you have a lot of time on your hands, you can spend too much time mulling it all over.
    And where is blog reading on your list, ahem?

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  4. Lynne, you nailed it when you said that when you get an idea, you are focused! This is so important.

    When it comes to creative projects, I get lots of ideas and sometimes I'm focused and sometimes I start out focused and get distracted by a new idea! I find I get my hands in too many projects and it will take me a while to finish anything.

    Thankfully, this isn't the case in my day to day life/work/home/cleaning/laundry!

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  5. I like your methods---such wise and sound advice. I believe there can be enough time in the day--you just have to be very strategic. I'm an early bird as well and I'm always looking for ways to simplify & better organize my day. With a 4 year old I kinda have to or nothing will get accomplished. I'm trying to keep up with the laundry and think I have a plan to do so. I've also gotten behind in blog reading and hope to get better. Keep enjoying life as you do. It's such a beautiful thing:)

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