I'm Way Too Busy! How Can I Find More Time?
The way of the woman is to be busy, but not to the point of collapse! When you start listing all the things we have to do in a day, it would be nice if there were an extra couple of hours added in somewhere.
But there aren't...so what are the options for staying stress-free and happily busy?
* Feel free to say no! Just because we're loving, caring Christian women doesn't mean we have to agree to everything. If everyone else is as busy as you are, they'll probably understand if you don't sign up for everything, go everywhere and bring all the things they need. Pick and choose what fits in your schedule, not try to adapt your schedule around other people.
* Where does your time go? Do a quick calendar assessment and see exactly what activities are making you so busy. If there are some unnecessary time-wasters in there, purge them now! Then prioritize those things that are left.
* Figure out why you're doing what you do. Some pursuits like Bible study and ladies' visitation are worthwhile and glorifying to God. Others, like television and the internet, are simply interests. If you're choosing activities that grow you, fulfill God's purpose for your life and praise His holy name, keep at them. If you're caught up in empty time-fillers, consider finding something else to do.
* Keep an eye on your finances. This may sound funny, but how often do we work harder and longer because we need to make a payment or have some extra money saved up? Be super-careful with how you spend what you do have and with how much time you spend earning more.
* Get organized and stay that way. One of the biggest time-wasters I know is digging through piles to find something when it should have been filed weeks ago. If you keep up with the paper crunch throughout the house, you'll be amazed how much more smoothly your life can function. Then move on to books, toys, tools, kitchen drawers...before you know it you'll have tackled the whole house!
* Schedule one hour a day for yourself. What??? I'm already out of time...how can I afford an extra hour? How can you afford not to give yourself sixty minutes of something you love? Take your lunchtime or an hour while laundry is going to do a craft, read a book, do your workout or take a walk. Rejuvenate yourself and the rest of the day will seem so much easier.
* Eliminate distractions. Take the phone off the hook, give the kids a project and turn off the television. Anything will take half the time when you can really concentrate on the task at hand.
* And most importantly, take time for God. Don't let you busy-ness talk you into not reading your Bible and praying. Make the time first thing every day to talk to the Lord, read His Word and get some instruction on how He'd like you to plan your day. The day is always sweeter when we're in touch with God.
But there aren't...so what are the options for staying stress-free and happily busy?
* Feel free to say no! Just because we're loving, caring Christian women doesn't mean we have to agree to everything. If everyone else is as busy as you are, they'll probably understand if you don't sign up for everything, go everywhere and bring all the things they need. Pick and choose what fits in your schedule, not try to adapt your schedule around other people.
* Where does your time go? Do a quick calendar assessment and see exactly what activities are making you so busy. If there are some unnecessary time-wasters in there, purge them now! Then prioritize those things that are left.
* Figure out why you're doing what you do. Some pursuits like Bible study and ladies' visitation are worthwhile and glorifying to God. Others, like television and the internet, are simply interests. If you're choosing activities that grow you, fulfill God's purpose for your life and praise His holy name, keep at them. If you're caught up in empty time-fillers, consider finding something else to do.
* Keep an eye on your finances. This may sound funny, but how often do we work harder and longer because we need to make a payment or have some extra money saved up? Be super-careful with how you spend what you do have and with how much time you spend earning more.
* Get organized and stay that way. One of the biggest time-wasters I know is digging through piles to find something when it should have been filed weeks ago. If you keep up with the paper crunch throughout the house, you'll be amazed how much more smoothly your life can function. Then move on to books, toys, tools, kitchen drawers...before you know it you'll have tackled the whole house!
* Schedule one hour a day for yourself. What??? I'm already out of time...how can I afford an extra hour? How can you afford not to give yourself sixty minutes of something you love? Take your lunchtime or an hour while laundry is going to do a craft, read a book, do your workout or take a walk. Rejuvenate yourself and the rest of the day will seem so much easier.
* Eliminate distractions. Take the phone off the hook, give the kids a project and turn off the television. Anything will take half the time when you can really concentrate on the task at hand.
* And most importantly, take time for God. Don't let you busy-ness talk you into not reading your Bible and praying. Make the time first thing every day to talk to the Lord, read His Word and get some instruction on how He'd like you to plan your day. The day is always sweeter when we're in touch with God.
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