As I try to figure it out, more and more things get piled on and I am always struggling to figure it out! Unfortunately my teeter totter is not as simple as the one pictured above. I have my family, my new home based business, my church commitments, my youth group mentoring and then in there somewhere I like to do a few things for me! How do you prioritize your time? Do you have a list of things that are all important? How do you balance them?
I am still trying to figure this out on a regular basis but I have come to some conclusions lately.
First is God. ALWAYS God is first. When I start my day with Bible study and prayer, my day just goes better. I KNOW this. I have experienced this regularly. Of course, I also regularly forget it. I get "BUSY" and it slips my mind. I have the world's best intentions but follow through is sporadic. Then I get discouraged!
Second is family. This gets more complicated. It shouldn't but when you have a larger family (I have 4 children and 1 exchange student until June), it is just hard to keep up with EVERYONE the same. I WANT to devote equal amounts of quality time to each person but then I also see that each one needs me differently at different times so I can't schedule this to fit MY needs. I need to fit THEIR needs. That makes is so much more complicated! I still haven't quite figured out how to balance the needs of my 3 year old with the needs of my 14 year old! I have discovered though, that QUALITY time is different in each of their eyes. For my 3 year old, it is cuddle time. Or playing with trains! For my 7 year old, she just wants me to take her with me. Just her. No one else. If I go to the store and I take her, it makes her happy. For my 12 year old...UGH...your guess is as good as mine! It varies so much from day to day, week to week that I can't keep up with her! My 14 year old wants quiet, contemplative time. She wants to work with me while no one else is around so we can talk and if that time is NOT available (even if she chooses not to use it!) then she gets grumpy and conflict happens. That is when her worst attitude comes out.
Then I have my good intentions...my business that is to help me be able to stay home with my children and devote more time to them. It takes part of my time, but still less time than a full time, out of the house job would. I can be flexible and work around their schedules so that I have to spend part of the time away from them, but I can do it at the best times for them.
My time with the church and with youth group is not as flexible. There are scheduled events. But I have chosen to get involved in ways that I am either with my children or busy at the same times they are busy so that I am not stealing too much of their time.
The part that really bothers me is the taxi service. It seems like the kids (who have very limited activities) are in things at different times! I spend much more time running from place to place than I want to. I am sure that will get better as it is easier to leave the littler ones with older ones.
As I stop to think about my life, I am thrilled. I love it. I knew when I was a child that being a Mom was a very important thing to me. I now find that it is the most rewarding thing! I have a wonderful husband who supports me in staying home and devoting time to being a Mom and that adds to it. I don't know how people work full time and still are Wife, Mom, Housekeeper and any other title you can think of! It would exhaust me!
So today as I balance my schedule....and learn to say NO to a few things (which isn't too easy!), I encourage you to prioritize and learn to say NO to a few things! Focus on the best things in your life and know that your family will appreciate it!
Good post. I am lousy at prioritizing.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading, Suz...and I miss you!!!
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