Sometimes life gets spinning so fast that I feel like all I can do is hold on tight and hope I don’t fall off the ride. I find myself in this on-going cycle that every so often I have to decide to just STOP. I tend to over schedule myself. I love helping people with projects. I love doing projects. If I don’t STOP and think about it, I double, or even triple book myself on a regular basis. Seriously? Why can’t I get my crap together!?! On top of that, I have my regular Mom duties of caring for four kiddos.
The other day, I was suppose to be
1. Going to Zumba with a friend.
2. Watching my husband play softball
3. Going to a BBQ for a family event
and
4. Watching my other friend’s three kiddos.
ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!
I didn’t even realize that I had QUADRUPLE booked myself until that morning. I canceled all other plans and watched the kiddos for the friend. But saying no to the other events was VERY HARD.
Sometimes I have to remember that being HAPPY is more important that doing EVERYTHING that I want to do at that very moment. I have come to realize over the last four years or so that I am happier if I am not as busy. With that being said, I still need to be busy to a certain degree.
Balancing the need for being busy in my personality and the overload of being too busy that makes you want to scream and takes away the ability to take a deep breath is the hard part for me.
I have found that taking a breath, reading a book and running through the sprinklers with my kids is the “medicine” I need. š
What do you do to stay grounded?
Keep a well updated schedule book, otherwise I either triple book myself or completely miss out on things because I forget to go to them!
Schedule books, lists, sticky notes… and I have found lately that making set times for the important things (bible study, prayer, family time) is allowing me to manage the rest of my time better.
I have the same need for being busy, but there's a very fine line between busy and too busy for me.
This article goes really well with the July power of the month on PowerofMoms.com: balance!
When life seems to get out of control and I feel like I am losing it, I go out and ride my horse.
There is something about riding that has a calming affect on me.
I relate. I am always struggling to find balance between doing enough to feel alive and productive and being too busy so that I become crazy and don't enjoy anything. When I hit those walls, I usually throw the to-do list out the window, try not to schedule anything and spend time with my family. My kids seems happier that way too.
I just blogged about something similar, where is the balance? š Good for you for finding the "medicine!" Thanks for this timely post!
I am going throught the same thing right now. I WANT to help everyone and their dog with the projects but I just can't. I want to do so many things that I get double booked all the time. I like to be busy, but ever since I started my blog, I have been CRAZY busy. The fact that it is summer and the kids are home doesn't help either. I make a list of everything that NEEDS to get done then add things that I would LIKE to get done. Sometimes I don't get to the LIKE things and I am trying to be okay with that.
holy moly… other people have this "need to stay busy" My honey just doesnt understand that its a bit calming for me to be busy all the time. Wow, good to know other people are like this too. I absolutely love to stop everything and just sit down adn read with my fav little guy or snuggle on Saturday morning and watch cartoons and sing the theme songs.
Jess
http://www.rebelchildjess.blogspot.com
I've had to learn to say no and simplify my life a bit.
I used to be incredibly high-strung and it was really difficult for me.
Taking the time and deciding what I really want has helped me a lot.
It's hopeless? I miss the things written on my calender… Today, I took the girls to music and forgot to pick up my husband from work!
Holy cow, Brooke! I used to have the need to be crazy busy, but eventually I realized that it was not the end of the world if I didn't get my to-do list done or volunteer for everything. I just took a month off from doing projects, too, which was hard but it has been nice because my house is cleaner and I've been reading lots of books.
Sometimes I cancel everything…and say no a lot more than I think I'd like to… I need time to myself to function and being myself, wife, and mother are my first jobs – the rest will come back again in some form or other!
I get away and swim about 3-4 times a week on an adult swim team. It's my hour to clear my head, do something for myself, and get energized for home. I go at 5 in the morning (which is sooooo hard) but it something for me that truly benefits everyone.
Jennifer
I struggle with this ALL the time!!! My best advice to myself is to decline more. So hard to do as I feel exactly like you.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. LOL at "Quadruple–booked", only because I can relate. I'm working to stay 'in the moment' and not 5 steps ahead. It's hard. I don't know what the answer is, but living overbook, overworked and overextended is mentally, emotionally (and depending on what you've committed to) physically EXHAUSTING. My lists have lists. Best of luck in finding your balance–it's certainly a struggle for me. If you find the solution please post it! š