How do you spend your time?

Do you ever have those days where you think you couldn't possibly slam one more thing in, and then you end up having to do three more things!  At the end of the day you wonder #1 How you ever survived the day? #2 If you missed anything because you were so busy running around doing everything you're not really sure what you even did?   #3 If all of your kids are ok, because you were so busy you didn't even notice? #4 If you had eaten anything all day? and #5 What you can do to make sure you never have a day like this EVER again!!!  I feel like my month has been like this!  Luckily I've had a couple breaks that have kept me out of the looney bin.  When I do have a break and should be cleaning like mad, I'm usually laying in bed feeling guilty that I'm not up cleaning enjoying the silence, or reading a book.  I was talking to my hubby about it the other day asking him what we can do to slow down a little bit because this is seriously killing me.  He suggested we get rid of one or two of our kids and that should help out some.  But, since we couldn't agree on which two to get rid of.....Hahaha.

How we see ourselves

Being over stretched is a huge problem for me.  I sat behind a cute little two year old at church last week and decided I needed to start acting like one again.  There was a word she kept saying that I've apparently forgot, it was the word NO!  Now I probably shouldn't say it like a two year old, but I need get the point across none the less.  Why is it when someone needs something done they find one of the busiest people and ask them to do it?  Maybe because they know somehow it will get done.  I have noticed lately though that my quality is going down because the quantity is going up.  I'm working more hours, taking on more responsibility, and still having to do everything I did before (and what I had was PLENTY).  Just as I was thinking I was going to break and couldn't do it one more second, I had a friend stop by.  As we talked I realized it's not just me.  As we were talking, she set a timer for herself so she knew when she had to leave to go pick up carpool.  As much as I love my timer, I wish it didn't have to be used as to when to stop visiting with a friend.  Not that I had the time to just sit there chatting either, but in the end it helped me so much.  If nothing else to realize that I'm not the only one feeling like all I do is run, but also to realize that I need time for ME!  We only talked for 15 minutes, but it was 15 minutes that I needed.  And let's be honest, we mainly talked about our kids and what they were doing, but it was a break from the ordinary. 

How others see us (haha we wish)

As I'm writing this I keep thinking of a talk I listened to that really hit me called "Good, Better, Best".  I wouldn't say anything I spend my time on is bad, but is it the "Best" thing I could be doing.  For example, the 30-45 min a day I spend on Instagram/Facebook could really be spent on something else.  I would say that is something "Good" but when I sit back and think about it, most of it is a waste of time.  It's pretty pathetic when one of the first things you do in the morning is check instagram/facebook....it's like some amazing discovery was made over night and you have to be the first one to hear about it (hahaha).  Obviously not all of your time is going to be spent on the absolute best thing you could be doing - that requires perfection and I don't know about you, but I'm not even close.  However, spending 5 min at the end of the day thinking about how you did spend your time helps you as you choose how to spend time in the future, hopefully making it to "Better or Best" instead of just "Good".  My "Today's Tasks" list is one thing that does help me spend my time on the things that are important to me.  Yes...I even put things like "Play with your kids" on my list because those are things that are "Best" to me and seem to get pushed out of the way by "Good" things because I think I'll go back to playing with my kids and it just never happens.

 

When my days, let's be honest, weeks/months/years are totally crazy I start to put out the biggest fire, and then just wait for it to be over instead of enjoying it while I'm in the middle of it (I'm REALLY working on this one).  Why can't I truly engage and enjoy the dance competition, baseball tournament, school choir concert, etc. while it's happening? Why am I working on (or at least thinking about) the next project while I should be enjoying what I've been spending time getting ready for?  Oh ya...because I don't know that word...you know which one...the two year old word.  See, I can't even type it let alone say it.  That's something else I'm going to work on.  I heard a quote and I wish I knew just how it was said and who to give credit to, but basically it said, "Eveytime you say yes to something, you're saying no to something else."  Whether that is no to your kids, to your home, to your husband, to sleep, to yourself, to your health, the list goes on and on.  You only have so much time in the day.  Make sure when you say yes, it's to something that is Best!  Maybe the PTA carnival won't have as cute as signs as you could have made.  Maybe the birthday treats for preschool are just a plain old twinkie and not a twinkie turned into an adorable minion (that you gave up bedtime stories to make)...you get the idea. 

All that really matters!

Instead, you can look back and not regret what you did with your time.  Your kids will know you really care because you're spending time with them (and isn't it for them we do most of the stuff we do anyways). Commit with me to say no to the "Good" so you we can say yes to the "Best" more often!