The recurring theme of this blog since I started full time work almost four years ago has been finding balance. Having it all. Doing everything.
I am a lot less manic than I used to be and now have a weekly checklist - where I track where I am and how I am going... It looks like this....
Contacts with my mentors - goal 3 per week - this week
Family time - 4 per week -
Me time - 3 per week
Focused energetic work time - 4 session per week
Exercise - 5 times per week
Learning time - 2 session per week
Sewing time - I session per week
Couple time - 3 sessions per week
At the end of each day I tick off the things I can categorise as being done - the trick is in each of these activities I have to be present in the moment not marking time waiting for it to be finished so I can move on to the next thing.
This week I have done well - as long as walking to the bottle shop for a bottle of red to have with dinner counts as both me time and exercise - and as I write the rules - it does.
See the one thing I realised was that you can't wait until everything is perfect to do something sometimes you need to shut your eyes to something to open your time for another.
Like today the house really could have done with a once over but as the shopping was done yesterday by the family while I was at work, and there was no rugby today I chose to take an hour off and have a coffee with my sister in law - some very definite me time. Then I came home grabbed the kids and my husband and took them (kicking and screaming) to the beach for a walk - I am ticking it off as family time because nobody said they had to enjoy it - I make the rules remember?
So I have finally found the elusive balance - it isn't about balance at all it is about doing - even if that means doing heaps in a day - and as one of my favourite people on the planet Mat Steinweide said today in his video blog ( mentor contact ) if you don't have enough time create some get up earlier!
Balance is about attacking every day like you won't get another one and not missing the chance to tell the people you love that you love them or are proud of them or need them. Cramming in that 15 minute walk - taking one of the kids with you and ticking it off as family time and exercise - or going alone and ticking it off as me time and exercise.
You see balance is in your own head if you think you have it - you do. Your thoughts are powerful - but a checklist might help until you get your thoughts in order!
Until next time
Angela
