Making Room

from LDS S.M.I.L.E.com

Fine-tuning.  It can be one of the most exhaustive and, sometimes painful, undertakings we can go through.  How do we fit any more important things into an already overflowing schedule?  How can there possibly be enough time to get it all done?  And heaven forbid we would actually have to say “no” to something.

Well that is where I found myself.  A month into this journey, I received direction to streamline my week.  I needed to condense my afternoon activities of Monday through Friday down to — Monday and Tuesday.

Now where we homeschool, the morning is full.  Taken.

Afternoons are when I have to do … everything else:  cleaning, laundry, budgeting, appointments/errands, menu planning, school planning, bookkeeping, personal studies & projects.

How on earth was I going to do it?!?

Well, I have a big God.  A Loving and Powerful God.   And a very mindful God.  And I know He will never ask me to do something without providing a way for me to accomplish what He wants.

So I prayed.

I pondered.

I considered different scenarios.

Then …the inspiration began to flow.  I loved the insights I gained – the primary key being “Plan & Protect …”

Some of you may be struggling with over commitment, overscheduling, and overwhelm.  Believe me – I know what you are feeling.  It can be exhausting just trying to shuffle all that we have to do into a doable sequence, let alone actually accomplishing it all.  But I urge you to Plan in time in the following areas and then Protect that time with your life.

First time with your God – However you connect with your higher power – be it praying, reading scriptures, a nature walk, meditating, yoga/qigong, spiritual music – whatever it is, make time for it.  I fully recommend spreading them out so you have ‘several stops’ throughout your day.  That way you are continuously being renewed, rejuvenated and refocused.  Guard this time and you cannot fail.

Next is time for Yourself –  With a houseful of kids, 24/7, for the last 13 years, it can be all too easy for my life to get away from me, and for it to be totally swallowed up by the needs of my family.  Anyone with a family, a job, a business, church assignments, appointments, duties or responsibilities, or any combination of all the above – I am sure, can relate.  Sooner or later everyone has to come to the realization that no one is going to give you time for yourself – you have to take it.

Now I know this can be kind of touchy thought.  Many of us are born martyrs.  We feel that taking time for ourselves is selfish and commissionally creating sins of omission.  But hear me when I say – You Can Not Give What You Don’t Have!

You cannot continuously give without refilling your cup at some point.  Your body needs rest.  You need food.  You need a Shower.  You need mental stimulation.  IT IS OK to read a book.  IT IS OK to lock the door when you go to the bathroom.  IT IS OK to have a shower and sit down to 3 meals – all in the same day!!

A word of caution though.  Time for oneself can be a heady thing.  It can be easy for “me time” to cross that line.  So plan accordingly.  Prayerfully establish a time for a shower, for rest, for learning, and for exercise.  Remember – Life doesn’t stop when Mom can’t go on any longer.

Finally remember time for Relationships.  Plan time for those healthy, edifying, and most important relationships in your life.  Humans are social beings, especially the female of the species.  We are made to serve, love, and connect with other people.

But notice I said ‘healthy and edifying.’  Here and now, I give you full permission to eliminate toxic relationships from your life.  They are a drain on your time and your energy, thus adding to your stress and overwhelm.  Get rid of them as quickly and as best you can.

Sometimes it is not possible to dispel all toxic relationships entirely (family), but you can distance them … in a loving way.  At least long enough for you to reclaim your sanity, your peace, and your ability to handle those relationships in a healthy manner.

~ I urge you to plan in and protect these non-negotiables.  These are your basis.  These are your life force.  These are your anchor.  I PROMISE YOU that everything else can fit in to the time remaining.  If it can’t – then maybe it doesn’t need to …  maybe it wasn’t as important as you thought.

At least you can proceed knowing you are doing the most important – every day!  This is how I tweeked my crammed schedule to include what the Lord was desiring for me to do.  It can work for you.