The other day I was at a friend’s home visiting. My friend
was drinking kombucha, and we discussed the economics of purchasing kombucha
versus making homemade kombucha when my friend said “I just don’t have time.”
Aside from the fact that kombucha takes very little time to
make (except for the fermenting process, of course), I just could not believe that
this friend said that to me. This friend knows I have a busy lifestyle that
includes working full time, having a part-time business I am trying to grow
(doTERRA), yoga teacher training, and a demanding doctoral program – on top of
being a wife and mother and everything that entails. Of course I didn’t get
into all of that, but instead I kept my composure and said “we make time for
the things that are important to us.”
This statement doesn’t apply to just school or hobbies. It
applies to everything in life. If it is not of importance to us, we just don’t
do it or make the time to do it, but often we use time as the excuse rather
than stating “I just don’t want to”. Take fitness as an example. Many people
use the excuse of “not having enough time” for not making it to the gym or
going for a walk, but I am most certain that if they looked at their typical
day, they would see that there is indeed time during their typical day to fit
in a time to go to the gym or take a walk or whatever activity it is that they
enjoy. The only reason they do not is because it’s not a priority.
Some might not know how to make that time. Well, it’s a
matter of priorities. Once you decide that something is important to you, it’s
a matter of finding that time in your schedule. That can include waking up
earlier to make time, making time during your lunch break, or even not watching
television in the evening to accomplish the tasks that one sets out to do. It
does not need to be an hour or more at a time, either. Even 20-30 minutes of
effort put toward a task at the time can be very valuable.
I am often asked how I am able to juggle as much as I do.
Everything that I choose to add to my life, it is important to me. My family
and their needs come first, of course. If my kids need to be picked up from a
sports practice, of course that is priority. But, while I am waiting in the car
for them to come out of the school, you can typically find me reading something
for yoga teacher training or for school, or even making a phone call. I am
typically reading when I am eating my breakfast. My lunch breaks consist of me eating
while reading for school as well, or even connecting with my customers to see
if they need help with anything essential oil-related. In the evenings I try my
hardest to work out by either doing CrossFit or yoga. Some days that happens,
some days that does not, but lately if I cannot make it to the gym or to the
studio, I do a home yoga practice in my office. I also do my assignments in the
evening when I have internet connection and quiet time in my office.
I prioritize my daily tasks, and yes, I have a working list
of things that I need to accomplish. At the top of the list are the most
time-sensitive tasks that need to be done that day, usually something with a
deadline. Then come the second-priority tasks, which are the tasks I’d like to
get done and they should get done but they are not as time sensitive as the
higher priority tasks. At the bottom of the list are the low-priority,
non-sensitive tasks that I would like to get done but I could go to sleep
without them being done and not be anxious at night thinking about them. Once I
complete a task, I cross it off and go to the next. If I can get all the top
priority tasks accomplished, and even some of the secondary tasks finished, I
will be happy.
I have a calendar, an “old school” paper planner, that I
write down all appointments and engagements on. For some reason I cannot use
the digital calendar in my phone or on my computer, but if I write something
down I will remember it. I suppose I’m very visual in that respect. If I don’t
write it down, though, I tend to forget about things, so as soon as I have
something that needs to go on the calendar I write it down. My particular
planner has the days listed hour-by-hour, which works for me because I am a
therapist and it is easy for me to track appointments that way, but I encourage
people to find what works best for them and their specific needs.
Learn to delegate. Especially if you are a working parent.
Your kids, no matter their age, are old enough to do chores. I’m not saying
that they need to be bogged-down with chores, not at all. Find age-appropriate
chores for them to do. My children are teenagers and are capable of more that
smaller children, but they do their own laundry, help with dishes, and clean
their bathroom/bedrooms. It takes maybe 15-20 minutes of their day. My husband has
his chores as well. Of course I do my chores, I am fickle about what my family
eats and almost always make dinners at home from scratch. That’s important for
me and I make time for it. But if I need help cutting vegetables to help save
time, I do not hesitate to ask someone in the family to cut them. There is no
reason for you as a parent, working or not, to do everything on your own. I
honestly don’t view this as my family “helping out”, but view it as my family
doing their fair share of the chores considering we all eat, have dirty
clothes, and get the house dirty.
If there has been something you have been wanting to do, but
you have been putting it off due to time, I challenge you to take a look at
your daily routine to see where maybe you could find the time, then start
taking the steps to make that “want” a reality for you. You will be thankful
you made that time for yourself later.
~Namaste
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