It’s Spring here in Western Canada, and so it seems a good time to start something new. The flowers are blooming, the air is sweet, and it’s finally getting warm. Altogether, I’m feeling pretty optimistic. Which is why, a few weeks ago, I started this blog, and I think it’s time that I wrote down what I’ve figured out about how to get stuff done when you’re insanely busy.
So, because it’s still important to breathe, let’s stop to smell the flowers and get into how this is all going so far.
If you haven’t read my introduction on the About Me, I am a mom to two boys, 4 and 8 years old at the time of this writing. They’re involved in all the usual sports and activities. One is at school and one is in daycare. I am also a full-time Grade 7 teacher. I’ve been teaching for 16 years and love it! Finally, I started my Masters degree in September of 2021, which has been an adjustment, in terms of time commitment.
First of all…
I love all of these hats that I wear. So I am definitely not complaining when I claim that I am busy and need to find time for all my activities. But, when you’re busy, time is tight. So, of course, I decided to start a blog, because that makes sense *rolls eyes at self*.
Honestly, though, the reality is that I am enjoying this challenge a lot. Before this I had never made any kind of website and the learning curve on how to go about doing this has been STEEP! I’m learning as I go but I definitely think I will need to do some more formal learning when I have a bit of time to breathe. There are so many great resources out there and I need to take advantage of them. But that’s a plan for when I get a break between courses. Because, when you’re busy, you need to prioritize! See? I’m learning.
I thought it might be good to list the things that are working for me or that I’m trying so far. Then I can look back on them to reflect on if they actually worked and tweak from there.
So, without more commentary, here it is:
Tips for Starting Something New When You’re Busy!
- Any time will do. I’m trying to think in terms of hours in the day and creating a balance across them. Finding 20 minutes at the end of the evening is better than nothing. Even if it feels like just one more thing I have to do when I want to relax, it’s only 20 minutes. That’s not that long! So I get something done on the blog and I get to relax after that.
- Try to focus on one task at a time. So, right now, I’m blogging, but earlier I was parenting, and before that, I was reading. Each of my daily activities gets a time when it’s the focus. I try not to mix activities so that I’m paying attention to each one without distraction. This is definitely easier said than done for me. I have a tendency to let me brain work on autopilot and think about something else, and this definitely doesn’t serve me. Or anyone else. Still learning here.
- Organize times in the day when you complete tasks. I’ve been working on my Masters while working and parenting, and that’s been tough. But it’s also mid-May, and where I teach, that means third term report cards are coming due soon. It’s hard for me to not turn away from homework and just work on report cards when I’m definitely feeling that deadline. My trick so far is to just start really early and do it in small chunks. More details here and here.
- Prioritize. My kids are my priority, so they have to come first. There’s a lot of competition with work and parenting, but I find my making them number one that it makes decisions easier about how to spend my time. Next is my paid job, because that’s how I’m paying the bills and making everything else possible. A very close second is my Masters. I’m paying for it and it will pay me back when I’m done, but before all that, I need to get good marks to accomplish my goals. So no letting that slide. Finally, my hobbies, of which this blog is one. Reading is another. Exercising is another. Making sure that I consciously make time for these makes being busy much easier.
- Make time to rest without guilt. I’m trying to get better at this. I tend to push myself very hard and am perhaps not as forgiving of myself as I should be. So this is a work in progress.
Does this help?
So, there it is. This is just what I’ve been trying to do. Basically I’m seeing what works and doing more of that. I’ll likely check in with a similar post in a couple months to see how these ideas have evolved.
What about you? When you’ve got 2o352342342 things on the go, how do you balance it all?
What I’m enjoying right now
Reading: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
I’m only about a quarter of the way through this book, so take this with a pinch of salt. So far we have been introduced to three sisters, separated at 6 years old, who are being raised to become queen of an island. Only one is expected to survive to become queen, as each is expected to kill her sisters before taking the throne. The novel is fantasy and, so far, the world building has been pretty good. I will update once I have made more inroads into the book.
Listening: Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why it Matters by Steven Pinker
So far this is interesting. He is currently building his case and defining his terms. I will await to see if he offers concrete strategies on maintaining rationality with all the forces seemingly mustered against it.
Viewing: YouTube Channel: Morgan Long
I have been watching Morgan’s YouTube Channel for years now and she never fails to bring me joy in my day. She feels like a friend who is always glad to see you. I find her channel to be almost a soothing experience, with the books, cinematography, artistry, and overall warm feelings. I can’t recommend her enough.