Managing Our Time Better: Stress Is A Choice {Part 1}

This is {Part 1} in my “Managing Our Time Better” series.

Hey y’all!  I know it’s been a little quiet for a few days over here at ALC and I’ve missed you!  For the past three days I was being blessed beyond measure at a Conference called BEECH Retreat.  A conference that I wasn’t sure I really had time for, to be honest.  I’m a busy Mom of three boys.  I work full time.  I have a blog.  I just simply don’t have time for personal growth, ok?  I’m WAY too busy trying to meet deadlines over here.  And who cares if most of those so-called “important deadlines” are self inflicted?  

Do you have days or weeks (or months) like that?  Running kids here and there…  Conference calls… Shoveling in lunch (maybe!) so as to not waste extra time…  Not taking the time to sit down for a meal or spend family time with my most valuable “possessions” on Earth – my Husband and children…  Not getting enough sleep because there “just aren’t enough hours in the day”?  Feeling “Stressed out” and like you didn’t accomplish anything at the end of the day?

My dear bloggy friend Ruth (whom I finally just had the ENORMOUS pleasure of meeting in person at this conference) wrote a post back on Feb. 8th, 2012 – yes, almost a year ago – called “Everyone Gets The Same 24 Hours”.   I thought it was pretty powerful at the time.  We ALL get the same 24 hours in the day . How obvious and basic, yet profound, is that??

And then I promptly went on with my  (“very busy”) life and forgot about it.

And that’s the funny thing about learning.  If you don’t APPLY what you hear or read, you didn’t really learn it.

Back to the conference… I heard (I am not going to use the word “learned” quite yet) so many great speakers and met so many amazing people.  Bloggers, Home Educators, Moms (and a few Dads too!), mentors, and (most importantly) new friends –  I actually feel like my head might explode with all of the new knowledge I have taken away.

But none of that matters if I don’t apply it, does it?  None of that matters if I don’t share it with others (like YOU) who could also be blessed with those key learnings.  None of that matters if I can’t prioritize my OWN time to make sure I am serving my family and others FIRST. 

That brings us to “Priorities”.  It’s a word I heard a lot over the last few days.  Seems like the most successful people I met have their “priorities in order” and are managing their family time (and budgets) well.

Kind of makes you want to say “Oh, yay.  Good for them.”, right?  Oh come on, we’re human.  That’s what we sometimes think about “Miss Perfect” who has a successful business and yet always has a hot dinner on the table (for her family of seven) at 6PM.  {sighs}

(image courtesy of http://www.squidoo.com)

Well, as it turns out, “Miss Perfect” has probably done something I truly haven’t yet.  PRIORITIZE.

Just asking myself this simple question every morning:  ”What’s most important today and what can wait?” .  Raise your hand if you aren’t really so good at doing that.  And I have both hands (AND both feet) raised, so don’t feel bad.

What are your priorities today?  What can wait another day?  ”Stress” is a big buzz word, right?  Seems like almost everyone is “stressed”.

(Clipart by Johnny Sajem – http://clipartof.com/1110808)

But how dare I say I am “stressed out” when there are Mamas out there that can’t afford to feed their children?  How could I possibly use the word “stressed” when all of my children are healthy and yet another Mom that I actually know just lost her 8 year old son to pediatric brain cancer about four months ago?  How can I use the word “stressed” when there are couples out there that are struggling with infertility and would give ANYTHING to have the so-called “stress” that comes with being a busy parent?

Shame. On. Me.

One of the (awesome!) speakers at the conference was John Miller who owns a company called QBQ (the Question Behind the Question), and he summed it up:

“Stress Is A Choice”.

Ouch.  Didn’t really want to hear that, John.  You mean I am bringing a lot of this on myself?!  Double ouch.

So I think I will write that down – “Stress Is A Choice” – on multiple post-it notes and place them all over my house.  And on my car visor.  And also on my forehead (I’m a slow learner).

Thank you so much for being here.  This is the first in a three part series about “Managing Our Time Better” and throughout the series I will include, and link to, tips and resources that I truly hope will help and serve all of you (from time management to meal planning and more).  I hope you will share this with your friends too.  We’ll get into some nitty gritty stuff in the next post.

And, after all, we all get “the same 24 hours in a day”.

Do you have any tips on how you successfully manage your time?  PLEASE email me or comment below.  With your permission, I would love to include them in the series wrap up later in the week.

Managing Our Time Better: Setting Goals {Part 2}

I hope you all have a blessed (and stress-free!!) week.

xoxo,

Claire

Tagged as: Family Time, Organizing our time, Stress Management, Time Management