how I {don’t} fit it all in, part 2

This is the second part of a blog post on how I don’t fit it all in. The first one can be found here, the third here.

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Hello my dears!

Me again!

I had so many thought on that last post I decided to divide it into three parts. It’s something I’m constantly working on.

Knowing you need some me-time each day and actually having it are completely different things. So I’ve been thinking a lot about what I do, or have done, to make it easier to fit it into my life. First some general ideas (from the viewpoint of a stay at home mum, cos that’s what I am, but hopefully they are broad enough to help anyone):

Accept the season you’re in

This may sound silly, and obvious, but I keep coming across people who have wanted kids for years, and love their kids to bits, yet think they can still live it up like they don’t have them. Do it all. Have it all. Now!

It may work for a little while, but I don’t think anyone can keep that up in the long run.

And comparing yourself to someone who seems to fit it all in at once will drive you crazy. I know. I’ve been there.

The first few years are intense. You sometimes feel like you are running around in circles all day and have nothing to show from it.

One of the best things I did for myself after having kids was to fully accept the season I’m in. Knowing that I can’t do it all, I have managed to focus on what really matters to me right now, and happily put other things on hold for a while.

For a while. Not forever. For a while.

Simplify

Yes, that old chestnut!

But it really is true. The simpler you make your life, the more time you have left over for “the fun stuff”, whether that’s playing with your kids or taking some much needed me-time when the baby naps.

Know your limits

I have lived with a bad back for years. If I overdo it, I’m out of action for days, sometimes weeks, on end.  So I need to take time out each day.

I once asked a friend how she keeps her house so immaculate at all times. She said she does a lot of stuff at night after the kids have gone to bed. My gut reaction was a big, fat “NOOO!!!”. What works really well for her is my personal idea of hell.

Work out your limits.

Knowing my limits has helped me work better in the time that I’ve got. Which leads me onto:

Don’t waste time

What’s your time-suck? Mine is the computer. When I go on the computer I lose hours at a time. So I try to keep it off when the kids are around. Because that’s our time together. Or if I want to paint. Because that’s my time to paint. And so on.

I don’t trust myself. Sad, but true. And it has actually made me a lot more focused.

You can fit more into a short space of time than you think you can.

I used to think I couldn’t do anything unless I had a huge block of time at my disposal. Then I had kids!

Realising I could get a lot of things done with just the odd minute here and the odd minute there was a huge revelation. They don’t get finished in one sitting, but they get finished. And perhaps even more importantly; they get started!

Right. That’s just some general stuff that has helped me find some time for myself during the day. I’ll be back next week with more practical ideas for arting and blogging.

Have a good weekend my friends!