Lately i've been very productive, getting lots of this & that done, and keeping up with pretty much everything I should be. This is a good thing!! (disclaimer: I will be forever behind on laundry & emails) However, I find I haven't had much down time and always seem to be doing something or other for everyone else, which I don't mind, but it's hard to get in quality "me" time, which I think is vital to being a good wife, mother, friend, etc...
Being a SAHM some people tend to think that "time is all mine". With a husband and 4 kids, nothing could be farther from the truth, and it irks me a little bit when I get things accomplished and people say to me, "geez... you're so lucky to have so much free time". HUH!? Yes, I probably have more "free" time than someone who works outside of the home 8 hours a day, but that still doesn't mean I get to sit around watching soaps and eating bonbons all day. ;) So time management is a must if I want to be productive!
There are certain things i'd love to be able to accomplish day to day, over & beyond what needs to be done during the day for my husband & kids. I can't always get everything in, but it would be nice to manage my time so well that I was able to get in these "me" things everyday!
- Read my Bible everyday and work through various devotional books. I just started reading "Fierce Women" by Kimberly Wagner and am quite impressed so far... I love that it's directed at improving yourself, focusing on your strengths and learning how to use them while improving your marriage in the process. (i'll review after i've worked through a few chapters) Ideally i'd love to wake up
earlyearlier in the morning to have quiet time for this so i'm not constantly interrupted, or too tired to get it in at the end of the day, but honestly, as much as i'd love to be, i'm not a morning person. Not sure how to change this "internal setting". Anyone have any suggestions for me here? Save going to bed early... I can't do that, the best I can do is be in bed by midnight. - Take some photos everyday & share them weekly on my blog, facebook, to the new photography forum I joined, etc... Be creative, try new editing techniques, etc... even if it's just a photo of a meal. lol!
- Find 1/2-1 hr. of time to sew. Time to work on stuff for the kids, custom orders, stuff for the house, gifts, etc...
- Drink more water. I've been drinking far too much coffee lately... I need to get in my 8 glasses of water and break my coffee crutch.
- Read daily for 1 full hour total. A book. With pages. Not blogs on my iPad. ;)
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Now, how to fit all this in? Here are a few ways that will help you manage your time wisely so time is not "wasted" away and you're left to wonder where the day went.
- Shut down your computer/iPad/iThing etc... for the day. Check your email, blogs, etc.. for your "allotted" time then shut it down.
- Don't sit down "just for a minute". Yes, I know this sounds silly, but when you have a lot to do, it's better to just "keep on keeping on". Take scheduled coffee breaks only. ;)
- Have a list on hand of what you'd like to accomplish for the day. Biblical Homemaking just created a bright & fun daily planner schedule that i'd love to print out! Our printer is "fussy" to say the least, but i'm going to see if I can get a handful of these printed out! I love them!!
- Keep the tv off. I only watch tv at night after the kids are in bed, and not every night, so this is not a time sucker for me, but for many it is. Leave the tv off for the day and see how much more you can accomplish!
- Learn to not procrastinate. If something needs done, "Just do it". Sleeping in till 10am, then lounging around for another 2 hours in your pj bottoms and coffee in hand is a surefire way to be sure you don't get everything crossed off your list for the day or get in any "you time". (Trust me on this... I speak from experience! Well, minus the sleeping in till 10am part.. haha!!)
What are the everyday *you* things that keep you happy & how do you "find" the time to fit them in?
