First off I am completely taking this title from the name of an episode of one of my favorite podcasts, so I want to fully give them credit.
I have listened to this episode of the Homemaker Chic Podcast repeatedly since it aired, and at one point I even had Thomas listen to it and he loved it. If you want inspiration on this topic I could not recommend this podcast enough – in fact, it has been my inspiration on this topic for the last couple years.
A few months ago I was up in the night, as some of us new parents are, and I was just so desperate to get something out of my head that I started writing what I’m about to share with you, left my journal open on the table for Thomas to see in the morning, and wrote him a note asking him to read it and for us to discuss it together 🤓
I had to get it down on paper:
If I’m “stealing” time for me time in the middle of the night do I need to do more things for me in the day? Or be more satisfied with what I have done? What is keeping me up?
What do I care about doing? If I had an extra day where everything else was taken care of what would I do?
- go outside
- cuddle cats
- play with my baby
- cook
- bake
- be intimate with Thomas
- watch historical movies
- read books
- paint my nails
- find great 10/10 finds thrifting
- make a photo book for my daughter
- spend time with friends and family
- do sewing projects
- make candles
What do I find value in, but I don’t want my life to be about?
- cleaning
- vacuuming
- exercise
- my planner
- laundry
- to do lists
- scheduling
- work
- tidying and organizing
- budgeting
Alright so these are the things I want to serve me, not for me to serve them. The previous things are what I want to serve and for my life to be about (what they represent).
I don’t want my to do list to fill my day. I need free time.
But I also need things to work. So how do I do them more efficiently? I think the key is counterintuitively to do a more thorough job. So that once a week, or however frequently I manage some of these tasks, when I do these things they are really done and done well. Invest the time to reap the benefit of having it done in our lives – for my family. Because I have a family now!
So there’s things I want to do and things to do to get where I want to be, and a “balance” or rhythm to strive for between the two.
I have to remind myself again of my addiction to getting it all done.
Prioritization is the name of the game. What MUST happen now, and what would just be a good idea to have happen now? That’s what I have to face. Keep it simple stupid! I’d love to find a better word than “stupid” at the end of that expression…
It’s time to keep it simple in what I wear, keep it simple in how I eat, keep it simple in what I do. It’s time.
I think of this photograph as I have these musings – Here are my grandparents, Nainai and Yeye, keeping it simple, and looking fabulous while doing it, with a day at the beach. Don’t know when this was taken, but I don’t think it matters. Times like this are timeless:
There will always be more to do, but sometimes what there is to do is have everything wait while you bask in the sun wearing a GIANT hat.
See more musings and updates from our life to yours 😊