Ever feel like your traveling through life at the speed of light? You can't catch up on anything?
Writing. Work. Family. Blogging.
How does one balance it all out? Is there an order in which you are to best level each section of your life out? It's so much easier on paper isn't it?
Well I'm not an expert and since every life is different there is no one answer as to how to make your life easier. After all this is not a yellow brick road to your freedom. I separate how I see fit.
This is normally how it works.
Work. Happens every day. As much as I'd love to let go it pays my bills. So 40 hours is dedicated to that. Not changing unless I win the lottery (for right now).
Family. This one is a little easier to maintain. With my husband in school I get extra time to myself and we dedicate the weekends to the fun zone!
Writing. I write every day, even if it's something as simple as fun and thought out email, a poem, or something in my journal. Every day you should write something. You are a writer after all.
Blogging. Posts are scheduled on Sundays. During the week I comment. Sometimes I just lurk. This is the one that so often takes the back burner. Though I hate to do it, my life is far to hectic sometimes and this must be downsized.
So how do you cope? What order is your life in?
40 comments:
I'm a lurker too. I want to leave a comment on blogs I visit, but often I don't have the time, or I don't have anything interesting to say, or I can't figure out how to form what I have to say into actual words.
I like how you manage it all, though. Writing every day is a very good idea, and I technically do that too - but I wish I didn't have to count blog posts or emails in the equation to solve it - because I really want to write-write. And I definitely don't do that every day.
for me it is family first, because being a stay at home mum, my son takes up a lot of my time, I also try to write something everyday even if its just a blog post or in my journal.
Blogging usually gets a look each day as I try to keep up on friends post and leave them a comment or two.
cleaning is the one I loath the most but it must be done, but I tend to do a little bit of that everytime I get up be it to nip to the loo, or whatever I'll just take a look around see what needs doing and jump on it lol.
i dont really have a set plan things just happen as they happen lol.
It's so hard to comment sometimes... especially when so many people have already said it (I like what Cruella had to say on the subject).
Yup, unfortunately work is a fact of life.Family obligations. Blogging. My writer's group. Actual writing. Oh, and cleaning the house once in a while... it's all crazy. We slow down in the winter a bit but the warmer months are all about splitting wood, camping and getting outside. And Jen, the older you get, the faster it goes. Just yesterday I was your age.
Enjoy the ride. That's all you can do.
as someone retired I dont really have work issues but I do have time issues I write all day every day if not dragged away to view the cobwebs and weeds!!!!
Hi Jen! Looks like you've got it all under control! I need to do more "real" writing everday. I tend to get distracted too easily, by....blogging, the stacks of junk in my office, the washer and dryer calling out to me, the dog wanting to go outside, etc.!!
Some days I have to be a lurker too. There are only so many hours in the day and sometimes I think the hours shrink!
I write every day too. I don't feel right if I don't write something each day, even if it's only a 100 words.
Have a great weekend, Jen!
Like Alberta I don't have time issues, just procrastination issues. However, I consider my blog part of the "daily" writing I should do as it takes me a while to formulate and put into words what I want to say.
Balance? Hah. My time is a little over-blogged right now but I am enjoying it. I need to do some more of my writing. I am an empty nester so I have the time once I get home from work.
I can completely identify. And can I too add a column in here called procrastination?
Thanks for the tips!
I think this is a good order of priorities. I think mine is pretty much ordered the same way.
I like how you manage it all. It seems every time I set a schedule that I can maintain and will allow to accomplish all I need to, something totally unexpected pops up and I have to take care of it immediately so my schedules are not usually "set in stone" . They are more guidelines for what I hope to accomplish that day, but not necessarily what will be accomplished.
Controlled Crazy best describes my life at the moment. Working on putting some order back in. I'm an organizer and I do love to have a plan so...
I should go write a list now...
Thanks for another inspiring post, Jen. Enjoy your fun zone :)
I don't manage well. But if I did, this is what my list would look like:
Family: My husband and three kids-top priority. I want time to enjoy them and be present.
School: I recently homeschool two of my kiddos and one still goes to mainstream school. Mornings=get them started and run the other one to school.
Blog: I schedule posts for my entire week on Sunday night then read/comment throughout each day as I have breaks.
Art/Write: I work on my art/writing after lunch before picking up daughter when my other two are in productive activities.
Other: You know, groceries, appointments, house maintenance... I'd like "other" to be the one I let go, but many times it's the priority. Ugh.
I'm so sorry that writing comes so far down my schedule because it's probably what I enjoy doing most! But needs must: work, family, cleaning, baking...
Job and family - and I'm fortunate I can blog from work. Also music, movies, and writing. And games. Okay, it's challenging.
gosh, your schedule is frighteningly impressive! I'm all over the place since I work from home at odd hours, I have kids who continue to make demands, no matter how much I ask them not to, and I write, well, I wish I wrote every day. Though with this a-z blog challenge, i do write every day. I'm going to count that as 'writing'
First is kids because they cry if you don't feed them
then is work because clients cry if you don't meet deadlines
then is reading. dammit, reading is passive writing for me.
then is writing
then is yoga/knitting/gardening/talking to my friends on the phone instead of facebook.
hmm. I think I need an adjustment.
BTW, I gave you the prestigious Versatile Blog Award. You can see it here: http://bit.ly/dXjs0w, if you are into awards and such. If not, that's totally cool. Consider it a virtual high five.
Ok I can at least say I try to leave a comment everywhere i go and mostly get that right but I fail at everything. so I'm about to try your schedule. Thanks
Trying to do it all seems to get a bit overwhelming for me too! I am trying to build my "followers" so right now a lot of my time is consumed reading and commenting on lots of blogs. It does have to wait though since I have a baby and 2 girls and they ultimately come first!
Ah, there is no order in my life. It just happens. Hopefully a job happens soon. *crosses fingers*
Neat N, Jen! It's hard to balance everything, sadly. My schedule is similar to yours. I'm not working at the moment and trying to dedicate a lot of time to writing and getting into the habit of doing it every day, BUT I'm working on organizing a move and selling our house, which is turning into a full-time affair. My husband is away for training until the summer, but when he's home we usually do what you do and work during the week and have fun on the weekends. Blogging...I'd only been doing this for about 2 weeks before the challenge started up, so I have yet to figure out a schedule and when to comment. I'm sure it will all fall into place, though. :-)
I'm retired so I don't worry about scheduled outside work.Anything family goes to the top of the list. I'm with you on the rest.
My schedule, when I can follow it, is 1/2 an hour in the morning for emails & Twitter. Then I write for 2 hours. By that time it's time to get ready for work. Get ready for work. Go to work. When I get home, I devote that time to writing my blog posts.
Sometimes I'll write during slow periods at work. Sometimes I'll do the blog posts in the morning and hang out on Twitter instead of working on the MS. It all depends on my mood. But no matter what, I try to write SOMETHING every day.
I always put my family first, then writing. Somedays it's juggled better than others. I try and write my posts on the weekend too. And just comment during that week, that helps for sure.
There is no order to my madness.
What I can - when I can -who knows what is most important -i'm never sure:)
I tend to Neglect things like laundry, cooking, and strict bedtimes (for myself).
I think I put blogging before writing, but that's only to get me warmed up :)
And sometimes I take time off from all of it just to remember what it feels like to do nothing :)
......dhole
I'm not coping as well lately. Blogging is taking up a huge amount of time but I'm loath to step back from it. I'm loving all the wonderful people I'm meeting through social networking.
Balance is the key!
All the time? Not sure I've actually figured out how to cope. I think that's why I procrastinate a lot. :(
Manage? What's that? Three years ago I was spending 10 hours a day at school -- I was a jr. high teacher.
Then the school closed and I couldn't find a job. I had all this time, but it seemed to slip away every day.
I have been busier lately -- with the workshops and this blog challenge. I love doing both. My novel hasn't been attended to as it deserves to be, but I'll also taking a workshop now. When that finishes, I'll have time for my story.
I hope.
MM the Queen of English
queenofenglish.wordpress.com
We're not in Kansas anymore. But at least we have cupcakes. :)
Unfortunately, blogging for me often gets pushed back as well. I tend to write at work, which makes life a little easier. Great post!
Balance is tough. Family comes first and then my job fills up close to 60 hours a week on a regular basis. blogging I can do in a few minutes here and there, but it's hard to find more than 15 or 20 minutes in a row to write these days .. and now I'm on an iPod & my computer is in repair land for a few weeks. *sigh*
Love your site. And I am glad I stopped in. I posted P today...a little obsessed. xo S
Oh, it's easy to be overwhelmed isn't it? My priorities are:
1. Family (three kids take lots of time LOL)and household stuff
3. School Volunteering
4. Writing
5. Blogging
I'm so impressed with how you balance your life! I still struggle every day with my balance. Family and friends first, writing second, and everything else comes after that (time permitting).
Okay, I admit, sometimes the writing takes up more time than it should... but I'm working on my time management skills!
I'm trying to get into the habit of writing everyday. On a typical Sunday evening I write my blog posts for the week.
Yipes, I don't even know what order my life is in right now. Is it Monday? Is it Thursday? I hardly know--all I know is that there was a moment yesterday where I felt relatively calm and relaxed and thought, "how nice--I feel like I don't have anything on my to-do list this weekend," and now I'm being punished for that thought. Shame on me :)
order? what order! that's a good idea. maybe if i had some of that i'd be more apt at coping with my life. ;)
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