Just Do It
Many times over the years I have been asked how I manage to fit everything I do into my day. It’s easy, you just do it.
It’s really that simple. Some of the material I’ve read over the years has spoken of balance, scheduling, and planning which of course in some cases is necessary. But often it is possible to just let things flow.
In my early twenties I was a young mom, going to school full time, and managing a house on top of the two and a half hour drive to class each day. Scheduling was important to a degree, classes were at a designated time, the sitter needed to have a schedule, but the rest of life was just fit in around it all. If I was up a bit earlier than expected, I put in a load of laundry. While working on homework, dinner was cooking behind me. While the kids watched a show or napped, I did homework. There was always a mental to-do list in my head, it grew some days and shrunk others.
In my thirties I went back to school full time taking my business and accounting courses. My kids were 8, 10, and 13. I worked full time, and still managed it all. My husband at the time was often away on the road working, and amidst it all, we lived for a few months in our vacation trailer while building a house. The kids learned valuable lessons, like how to do a load of laundry.
When the kids were young I decided it was important for them to be efficient in the kitchen. I started setting aside one night a week for do-it-yourself dinner. This meant that I got to sit and supervise while they cooked their own dinner, and cleaned the mess up. They learned to make grilled cheese, soup, pancakes, and more. It was a lot of fun watching them become great cooks. Often times there was three different meals being made, or they would combine their efforts for things like a BLT and fries.
Nowadays life is easier, it’s just me and my dogs. But, I still blog a few times a week, write, walk a lot, work full time and find time to read. I have always loved learning new things, taking courses and reading. I read for information and enjoyment. I love to challenge myself to do more, and stay active. My current challenge is to walk at least 50 km each week, working my way up to 100 by the end of summer. I have challenged myself to be able to walk to Sidney and back by the end of the summer, that’s about 53 km.
I am working on an idea for a group at the pain clinic in the fall, as well as hoping to do a creative writing class there again. I find that being busy helps keep me motivated and happy. I work hard at my own pain management, and understand that sometimes bad days do happen.
Amidst it all, there has to be down time though. Sometimes I think that this is forgotten and results in burn-out. For me the trick has always been not to over commit, rather to keep the to-do list rolling along. My list can be reduced as time allows, but does not have to.
Prioritize. Make sure you know what absolutely has to be done, and do it. The rest is optional, and will not make or break your day. Remember to breathe, life is meant to be lived!
