I Don’t Have Enough Time

I was just in Chris’s office having a chat with him.  We were struggling with an issue and decided to brainstorm some ideas on a piece of paper.

I reached behind me for a paper and pen and what I found saddened me quite a bit.

I found some paper, a spiral notebook in fact, and in it I had scribbled about half a page in black pen a very clear brain dump during a very difficult moment.

The page isn’t dated, but it’s clear when I wrote it that I just reached for the closest piece of paper I could find as it’s a wide-ruled notebook circa 4th grade and it has random scribblings in it.

“I feel so overwhelmed.  I can not make all this happen with the time I have available to me.  There is meeting up with friends, seeing family, playing with the boys, printing the boys preschool photos, exercising, sleeping, making healthy dinners, uploading photos, my b-day, …what is supposed to come 1st and when do I get to just do nothing and relax?!”

The reason it made me sad is this – what I wrote then is almost exactly what I could have written yesterday.  The only reason I know I didn’t write it yesterday is because it mentions my b-day, which is in October.

As parents, and really just as people, I think we are constantly battling a lack of time and energy.  We struggle to make enough time for the things we “have” to do, not to mention the things we really want to do.

This month I have been researching how to make some improvements to my prioritization and some time management skills.

I have read several books, listened to several podcasts and talked to several different people.

I know that many of you have the same feelings of overwhelm and frustration that you’re not getting done all the things you want to get done.

I don’t believe there is a one size fits all for everyone, but I’d like to share a few resources that are working for me this month.

1. The Miracle Morning

I first heard about this book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod on Pat Flynn’s podcast episode about morning routines.

After reading the book’s summary I didn’t feel like buying it and reading it was going to tell me anything new.  Basically, “hey lady, wake up earlier!”

But I bought it anyways, and for some reason, this book really worked for me.

I read the book in one day.

The day after, I woke at 6 am.

And I accomplished 6 things I have been putting off since we moved.  Two months ago.

I like the book because it provides a framework for what TO do in the morning after you wake.  It doesn’t just tell you to wake up early.

I also like that it gives tips for how to actually physically and mentally get yourself out of bed early, especially when nothing you’ve ever tried before has worked.

It’s as specific as “put your alarm on the other side of the room, when it goes off, turn it off, walk to the bathroom, brush your teeth…”

I like that I woke up today on my terms and not my kids.

Granted, it’s only been one day, but so far it’s very empowering and very productive.

If you try it please let me know if it works for you.

2. Pat Flynn’s Episode #150

I don’t listen to every episode of Pat Flynn’s, but this one struck me as one worth listening to.

The episode is titled “A Day in the Life of Pat – My (New) Routine, Schedule and Habits Shared”.

I can relate to Pat because like myself, he has a business and he has kids and a spouse.

Anything about routines or habits that he wants to talk about, I’m ready to listen to.

And I was not disappointed.

He talks about how his habits and routines have had to change since going from a married man, to a married man with one kid, to a married man with two kids.

He lays out very specifically what he used to do, what he does now, and analyzes what changes have made the most significant improvements in his life.

Even if you don’t have time to listen to the episode, you should definitely check out the show notes.  There are links to meditation resources, sleep resources, journal suggestions, etc.

Some of the items, like the Muse headband, which helps you monitor your brain waves and aids in meditation, are a little too expensive for me right now, but others, like The Five Minute Journal, are within my budget.

I ordered my Five Minute Journal today and am eager to see how I like it using it in the morning.

3. Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

The book Better Than Before is a book about habits.  Why we keep them and why we break them.

What I like about Gretchen’s take is that she discusses how different sorts of personalities approach habit-keeping in different ways.

For example, Chris and I have almost completely opposite systems for holding ourselves accountable to our goals and habits.

Understanding what makes me tick has been monumentally helpful in figuring out ways that I can maintain new habits I create.

I also like that she covers very specifically different ways we can hold ourselves accountable.  Everything from Fit Bits to friends.

I am always looking for new ways to maximize my time.

I want to be efficient in my use of time but also flexible enough to allow for new ideas and experiences to take hold.

It’s hard as as parent when you want to have a clean house, homemade meals, low screen time, one on one time, date nights, etc.

I hope that some of these resources can help you as they have helped me.

Please leave a comment and let us know if you have tried any of the above ideas, or if you have any resources to add!