It seems like the older I get, the more I want to do, and the less time I have to get it all done. Over the decades, I have learned to make the time, set up my environment, and hack the space-time continuum to ensure that I’m thriving, even when my day seems filled up.
I have a satisfying but mentally challenging job. I am married to the FDNY, which means my husband is home 30% of the time, but so unpredictably so that I never know if he’s in bed when I wake up. I have two beautiful children who are involved in a lot of activities. In the past six months, one or both children were in baseball, softball, soccer, football, swimming, and Scouts. And I got a three-month-old puppy the first week of school. In other words, I’m busy.
I also have many projects. One such undertaking was organizing and running the 2020 Women’s March. While this was going on, I also designed and launched a political platform to inform voters at voteinorout.com. I have another children’s product at KidCash.com and spent the last five years working on an art platform with a friend. All at the same time. When you have a lot of balls in the air, it’s even more important to take the time for your sanity. Sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity and planning. Here are some of the things I do to make it all work. Maybe it will inspire you to make more room in your life for you.
Have an idea that you want to pursue? Work on it for two hours a day. Some people watch T.V., I design at night. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in only two or three hours. At the end of it, you might be a little more tired than if you simply relaxed, but I’ve found that the things I accomplished during those periods were well worth the struggle.
Find a half-hour on some days to catch up with someone. I think many people are introverted when it comes to this. I have to get outside of my comfort zone to make that first line of communication. Staying in contact with people brings you such a natural high, so it’s a big price to pay if you stay comfortable and never reach out.
I know that if I eat whole foods in the early part of the day, I’ll lose my sweet and carby tooth later. Once I start working, I will sit there for hours on end, and it requires a lot of motivation to make me move. Anything outside of my reach is an impossibility, so I fill that proximate area with healthy foods. Once my hunger becomes unbearable, it’s at that moment I can try to convince myself to put a forkful of lettuce in my mouth. Do this, and you can actually startle your brain with the fact that this unappetizing alien object has actual nutrition in it.
Turn up your boring times. Any parent knows that there are tons of times when you’re simply waiting for your children to do things. Maybe it’s the morning and they’re eating their breakfast. Or you’re staring at the dirt at a biweekly three-hour baseball game. I like to use these times to my advantage.
After breakfast, part of my routine as I wait for the kids to get their stuff ready to leave is to play 15 minutes of piano. The level of relaxation that comes with having your mind focus on something melodic is mind-blowing. When I’m at their games, I spend that time relaxing and catching up with the other parents that come. It’s an excellent way to unwind and socialize, which goes a long way towards healing your soul.
Finally, I take walking meetings. If meetings don’t require me to share my screen, I will leash up the dog and walk in the park. We get exercise, but I can also focus better on what someone is talking about while walking. The list goes on and on, but you get the point. You can do so many things if you get creative, even when it seems like you don’t have the time to get it all done. I hope this gives you some ideas of your own.