insanity – not the workout, the next two weeks
Oh my goodness! A quick glance at my calendar for the next two weeks could send my head into a tailspin. I can hardly believe how I packed it all in. The tasks and events included are not all necessarily huge time commitments, but when a regular day provides you with more than enough to do those little things add up. Here’s a quick glance at the things coming my way –
- This week – HUGE consigment sale, small group leaders meeting at church, bridesmaid’s dress alterations appointment, church dinner event, lunch date with Em (yay!), and recipe bridal shower.
- Next week – Birthday (Monday!) play date with friend, cooking meal to bring to a new-mommy friend, doctor appointment to find out the sex of the baby, planning/prep for the lingerie shower I’m throwing, and the friend’s bachelorette party.
The “old” me, aka the depressed/anxiety ridden/binger me of 3 years ago, would have flipped a lid looking at that. The “new” me still lets out a little “EEP!” but then recognizes that I will get through. I have to. These things are going to happen and are already planned out, so why fret over them? Instead, I will pull out my handy dandy time-management protocol for situations such as these.
Plan Ahead
I already have a general schedule I stick to throughout my weekdays. It helps me to know when I need to focus on certain tasks and keeps me productive. I know, however, that I cannot follow my normal schedule and accomplish all I normally have time to when other responsibilities come up. That means giving up some things. I plan ahead what I will focus on accomplishing and what we can manage without. Things like cleaning and checking out freelance work won’t get near as much attention.
Make Time for Pleasure/Rewards
Don’t overload yourself so much that you have nothing to look forward to. Still include at least one enjoyable activity for yourself each day. For me, that will be relaxing with the husband at night, and still getting in some blog reading. It’s also okay to have a bit of pleasure in food. Like the fro-yo I plan on having on my birthday. 😉 Oh, I can’t wait to recreate this…
Find a Stress Outlet
This ties into the pleasure and rewards, but focuses more specifically on relieving stress. Whether it’s reading a book, chatting with a friend, watching mindless things like Bachelor Pad (*cough cough* I wouldn’t know ;)), or getting in some yoga…do it! I know my workouts won’t falter. They are my #1 stress release. Along with prayer. Having that quiet time every morning sets my tone for the day and things always seem less stressful.
Mini-Naps
Refuel quickly with a brief 10-15 minute nap. Or at least rest your eyes and your mind for brief breaks. As a teacher, I remember having to tell my students to not do marathon study sessions. Your mind works better with breaks. You will be more productive and feel better. Take time to sit down and enjoy your meal instead of eating on the go, if you can’t fit mini-breaks in otherwise.
Don’t Forget Nutrition
Eat poorly, feel poorly. When facing an overloaded schedule, you need energy. Energy comes from quality fuel. Busy times often lead people to the convenience food items. You can still eat healthy without hitting up the double cheeseburger or half gallon ice-cream. If you must do fast food, find healthier options like Subway. You can always prepare quick meals at home too. Toss together a salad or a stir-fry. They take only a small amount of prep and become a quick, one-bowl meal.
I know without a doubt these next few weeks will fly right on by. I hate feeling like I’m wishing time away though, so I’ll work on savoring my overloaded days the best I can. I do admit to looking forward to a few things though. Namely, knowing if baby is a boy or girl AND being closer to the 30 Days of Self-Love! Here are the links of ladies supporting it today!
Now, you tell me….
- Do you ever wish time away?
- How do you handle a busy schedule?
- Be sure to check out the 30 Days of Self-Love challenge coming to my site in September! And don’t forget to let me know if you added my button or shared the challenge on your blog.
