How to Make Time When There is No Time

With work, school, kids, marriage, animals, and LIFE….it is important to remember to actually LIVE. And usually it’s a good idea to do that with your significant other.

Sometimes it’s drinking a beer in the garage. Other times, it’s sitting on opposite couches and watching Happy Gilmore for the 3,000th time. And, my favorite times, fancy restaurants that take hours to eat. The point is – we have to make time to show each other we are still in love. It’s not always easy.

Our day to day busy lives can make us forget all these things and honestly, sometimes I’m just too darn tired! But I do it anyway!

There are lots of “sometimes” used in here…truth is…it fits. Not everything can be ‘yes’ all the time and it’s not healthy to say ‘no’ all the time either.

Disclosure Statement: The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. Those funds help keep this site alive and kickin’ but it doesn’t cost YOU a thing! Click here for the full disclosure

So how do you make time when there is NO time?

Learn to say NO and mean it

I do not participate in the PTA!!!! And I don’t feel bad about that. YOU shouldn’t either!!! I would rather spend my ‘extra’ time with my family. On Saturdays when the PTA has fundraisers, I would rather be having lunch with my kids and shopping with my husband. Period! Not a second thought about it. I don’t care if my friends all do it. I’m not sacrificing my time for things like that.

When my kids ask a hundred times if we can go to Michael’s to buy slime supplies….I say no and I mean it! Not only do I not want anymore slime in my home, but I can’t go to Michael’s every weekend. I have homework to do. They can color in a book they bought last time they conned me into going there. It is OK to tell your kids NO!

Play dates – oh geez! I don’t know about you but I can only do this once a month. Listen, I love that my kids want their friends over but sometimes it would be nice it they want to someone else’s house too. Sometimes I just have to be the meanest mom on the planet and say No!!!!

Delegate

You do not have to pick the kids up every day. Dad can, brother can, Grandma can. No one will die because Mom skipped a day. Same goes for watching gymnastics or dance class. Let someone else do the easy stuff, so you have energy for the hard tasks.

Chores – kids can help clean the house. You do not have to wash, dry, and fold every load of laundry. They can help. Let them empty and refill the dishwasher. Instruct them to clean their rooms. Teach them how to sweep, mop, vacuum, dust. Good lord, that should leave very few things for you to do.

Multi-task

Yup I said it. I don’t mean do something that requires full attention while doing another small task. Some things require focus.

Plan your day with multi-tasking in mind.

For example – the kids want to go to the library but you need to write a blog post, bring your computer and they can search for books…or picking up groceries after gymnastics class.

The things is – don’t overly multi-task. Like I said, some things do need your undivided attention. Sure you can call your mom and make dinner; but don’t scroll through Facebook when you husband is talking about his day. Seems like common sense…🤷🏻‍♀️

Make a schedule and stick to it

Get up at the same time every day. I know sleeping in seems like such a great idea. But it just makes it harder to return to a normal schedule on Monday. Or during the school year.

Set an expectation of timeliness. Not just for yourself but the kids too.

We have to be somewhere at 7:30 am. It takes 15 minutes to get there. Allow 5 minutes to load the car. This means you need to walk out of the house, ready to go at 7:10 am. Does this ever work?

Not in my world. No one is ever ready by then. They’ve always forgotten something, traffic makes it impossible to get there on time and now I’m late and my day is feeling chaotic.

So…..change the expectation. We will all be ready by 7am. And if we are early, excellent. Better than late!

You’ve seen people set their clocks 10 minutes fast? This is that idea. Only those people aren’t tricked because THEY do the setting and think they have 10 more minutes…defeating the whole purpose. Just plan better! I am a firm believer in this 10 minute rule. And I will start using it….tomorrow! HAHAHA!

Plan your dinners, stick to this…unless you have the opportunity to be spontaneous. This is important to do too. The chicken can stay in the fridge for one more day (unless it can’t, then maybe make the chicken and save it for tomorrow’s dinner instead).

Let go every now and then

Take vacations. Put down all the other things and have fun. Let go of the everyday stressors and live a little. I am learning to do this more often.

Work will be there when you get back. Dishes will wait. Skip the sweeping for one day, no one will die but you might have a little fun.

**Sometimes things happen and you have to be able to adjust. Say “YES” when you can and “NO” when you can’t. You don’t owe your friends anything, if they are friends, they don’t keep score of how many times they’ve watched your kids vs you watching theirs. Don’t worry about the past or the future, just do what you can ONE day at a time.

Just don’t get caught up in the busy daily stuff that you forget WHY you are doing all of it. As my husband always says – “Live a little!”

Happy living,