Not enough time...
This is something we have all struggled with at some point or another. I read somewhere online, "I don't have time is the grown-up version of "the dog ate my homework". I can't remember what site, but it really stuck with me. It may sound condescending to you. You may even be offended by the phrase or have a reason (excuse) as to why you don't have enough time. If that's the case, think about WHY you "think" you don't have enough time to do things for you. I say think in quotes because...NEWSFLASH!!! You DO have enough time.
Yes...The notion of "not enough time" is a myth, all in your mind. It's more about not making certain things a priority. Making YOU a priority is essential, especially as a mom or caretaker. It's difficult to give to others when you don't have enough to give. This applies to money, time, caregiving, etc. If you don't have anything in your cup, you can't give to others. Yes, you may be able to make it and it do what needs to get done. But you don't want to just "make it" and scrape by when it comes to taking care of yourself or loved ones. You want to make sure you're giving the best that you have. For this to happen, you need to make sure you're well taken care of. This requires you to make yourself a priority.
I know it's difficult to put yourself first when you think there's not enough time in the day, much less adding what seems frivolous to your day. By implementing a few of the tips below, you'll be able to add a few self-care items to your list; feeling like you added hours to your day.
Not Enough Time
- Get Organized: This should be the first thing you do to add time to your day. Without organization, your days will continue to go on feeling like you can't get everything (anything) done. So NUMBER ONE, get organized to get a grip on time management.
- Early Bird or Night Owl: Figure out what your most productive time is. For some of us it's morning. I like to get up earlier than everyone else and get my core items done. These are my non-negotiable items (workout, business follow-ups). Almost everything can be squeezed in.
- Be Grateful: Yes. Be grateful and stop complaining. Even during the most arduous tasks, you can find something to be grateful about (a mountain of laundry means you are fortunate enough to have clothes to wear, etc.) Complaining about a task causes it to take much longer to get the task. So just be done with it and enjoy the results.
- Task List: The night before, make a list of the things that need to be done. By having a list, you won't find yourself running around wondering what it was you needed to do today.
- Non-Negotiable Tasks: Identify what items NEED to be done regardless of how you're feeling or what else you have going on. These can
- Avoid Time Suckers: We all have time-wasters in our life. It can be the Internet, TV, or even people. You must identify what things waste your time and eliminate them. If you can't eliminate them, put them further down on your to-do list.
- JUST. SAY. NO.: Sometimes it can be difficult to say no when someone asks for a favor. We need to remember it's ok to say no when we're not able to do something. Saying no can be a liberating experience and it will also free up time to do your non-negotiable tasks.
- Create a Schedule: Setting a time for each time task can help to ensure it gets done. You wouldn't skip your child's appointment, would you? Add your non-negotiable tasks to your calendar as if it were an appointment with someone else.