Time is a Funny Thing

Here I am, at the computer once again, after taking my husband to the bus stop, getting the older kids off to school, and settling my youngest in front of the some cartoons while I enjoy my morning coffee. Each morning this week I've gone through this same routine. Usually I cut myself off by 8am in hopes of being the most productive little stay-at-home wife and mother I can be, but for some reason this week I can't seem to get my butt into gear.

This stay-at-home thing is new to me. I lost my job of 5 years in early July, and have since decided that I'm needed more at home than in the workforce. For the first few weeks, I was the most productive thing in the world. I organized closets. I washed sheets. I made beds. I paid bills. I did it all. Now, about 6 weeks into this new endeavor, I'm finding that I don't have time to get these things done. Ironically, I did have enough time to spend 3 hours in front of the computer looking at accessories for my Aerogarden. Funny.

I come from a long line of women with serious time management issues. I have also managed to spawn another carrying on the tradition. When my mom asked my daughter why she didn't practice piano this week, she said "well I really didn't have time. I've been SOOOO busy. Mom made me go to the gym after school this week, AND she has been making me go to the bus stop each evening to pick up Daddy". She didn't mention that she also played with friends and had sleepovers all weekend, and her excuses don't really hold up. It's about a 15 minute ordeal to go to the bus stop, and the gym thing was foiled by my youngest daughter's fussiness that particular time. The thing is, she really, truly believes that she doesn't have time to practice. Hearing her talk about her busy life got me thinking...

Do we have more time than we think we have? Are we prisoners of our extremely hectic schedules, or do we make a choice to have a hectic lifestyle by not managing our time? I highly suspect this to be the case. I guess it all comes down to priorities. What are they and what should come first? I guess my main priorities look something like this (in no particular order):

• Keep a Clean Home and Laundry Done


• Marathon Training


• Raise Well Rounded, Well Behaved Kids


• Budgeting/Billing


• Prepare Healthy Meals and Lunches


• Maintain My Personal Appearance

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I think this is a good list to start from. Notice how my personal appearance came last. Not on purpose, but I just thought of it last. I always make excuses that I don't have time to fix myself up each day. I spend most weekdays in workout type clothes, and usually feel so bad about my appearance anyway that I feel like no amount of make up or hair product is really going to help. The fact is, there IS time to make myself look better and feel better. I just have to decide that it is a priority. This week I'm going to make a plan of attack for managing all this along with some much needed free time. I'll get started on it right after I check Facebook. :-)