Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Finding Time For Me

I suppose we all have an activity or hobby we would like to spend more time with. Reading, family time, or sewing and quilting are but a few which come to mind. In my quest to rearrange my schedule to find a few minutes to use for my time for me, I find myself feeling like I do during the holidays when I'm setting New Year's resolutions. Hopefully, I'll be more successful in this venture...

In my last post I mentioned I am looking to find ways of finding time for me and below are some of the ways I have come with: (10 Ways to Find Time to Sew, Sew News Summer 2004)
  1. Get Up Early - I suppose I could set my alarm earlier. Currently, I'm up at 4:00am but I could just as easily get up at 3:00am. Right?
  2. Take It With You - Great idea for small projects. I'm sure I can find a couple of small projects to start.
  3. Cook Less Often - This is a great way to come up with extra time. I often spend a weekend make large batches of soups, stews, spaghetti sauce, and chili to freeze for later.
  4. Get Help Around The House - Where are the kids when I need them? Probably trying to find time to clean their own homes.
  5. Lower Your Standards - In this step, the author states not every meal needs to homemade and not every bed needs to be made every day. This one would be hard for me.
  6. Schedule Sewing Time - I use my Outlook Calendar for most everything so why not use it to schedule an appointment for me? Problem is I'm not on the computer enough at home for those pop up reminders to remind me it's me time. hmmmm...
  7. Keep Track of Your Progress - Maintaining a record of your completed projects is a great motivator to finish projects. It is really an eye opener to see to see the amount of progress you can make by just setting aside 30 minutes each day... Or even two or three times a week.
  8. Identify Time Stealers - Along with cooking and housekeeping, the author mentions television and Internet surfing as the biggest time stealers in our lives. Facebook anyone? LOL
  9. Designate A Space Just For Sewing - Of course, you still have to keep this area organized and clean so there are no deterrents keeping you from utilizing the space. 
  10. Keep It In Perspective - One of the most important things we can do for ourselves is to make time for the things we enjoy. The things we enjoy should not become another chore on our to-do list. 
With these tips in mind, my end-of-the-year resolution is to make time for me. To do the things I enjoy doing while sharing them with those close to me.

4 comments:

luv2quilt2 said...

Since I'm retired, I don't have to worry about finding the time, just finding the discipine to keep me on track.

webbsway said...

I have the same problem Dena- TIME. A friend told me that people always pick their priories whether it is on purpose or not.

That getting up at 3AM would be a killer for me although it would be such a nice quiet time. Most of the time I just wish I did not Have to sleep or EAT at all - Think of the time and money we could save? LOL

Ivory Spring said...

Love this post, and what you had to share....

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Great ideas - now I need to get off the computer. LOL