Have you ever been in a season or state of life where you are just so busy and it seems like all you do is run from the time you get up until the time you go to bed? Do you ever feel like you are just going crazy and can’t get it together? Do you ever wonder if you’re going to make it to tomorrow?! Is it possible to deal with busy seasons without losing your ever-loving mind? Today I am going to show you that yes, yes it is!
My busy season is partly self-imposed and partly not.
My kids are all in an age range (3-9 years old) that makes mom life kind of hard right now. I homeschool the kids, take care of our home, and cook almost all of our food from scratch. We run multiple businesses. Plus, my husband works a full-time job away from home. Our plates are rather full. But NONE of it is anything that we want to take off! We really enjoy all the things that are keeping us busy.
Sometimes you find yourself in a busy season, but the things that take up your time are things you don’t necessarily need to do or be a part of. Maybe you are in a busy season because you literally said yes to everything. You’re in the choir, a member of the PTA, carpet cleaning committee at church, and volunteer to make 4 dozen brownies every other week. You may have a schedule in your life that is busy with things you can give up.
Let me encourage you to consistently evaluate what you’re saying yes too!
This season of life for us is just BUSY. It’s not something we can just make go away. We don’t have things we really feel we want to or need to cut back. We just have a full, busy life with young children. So Barry and I have to find a way to deal with the stress that comes with being in that busy season of life. Sometimes I do feel overwhelmed! But I have figured out a few things that do help me make it through my days.
I have two quick little tips for how to help deal with life’s busy seasons without losing your mind.
First though, let me just tell you a little story…I had some friends over a while back, and during this visit, my kids were outside playing in the dirt pile – it’s a country thing. I was busy having a good time with my company when my two little boys came inside as our company was leaving. We said our goodbyes, the company left, and I headed to the kitchen to make dinner. I then noticed that my two sons had gotten on my beautiful (and previously clean) WHITE couch. I said, “Nooooooo, boys!!”
But it was too late.
I took them immediately to the bathroom – there was literally dirt everywhere. I had to give them a bath then I had to go strip the couch and wash the cushion covers. (Washable couch cushions for the WIN!) Neither of these things were on my list of things to do. I was busy enough without them!! And while I was giving my boys a bath, I noticed that Ruthie (then barely 2) was playing in the toilet water (which had not yet been flushed!) and it was all over the floor and her. This is life – my crazy, busy, wonderful life!
Tip #1 – Focus on anchor points throughout your day.
An anchor point is a certain time or a thing that you can hold on to when it seems like the rest of the world is going insane. When we have anchor points throughout our day, it helps us restore our homes to normalcy, or at least know how long we have to make it until our next break. Maybe for you, it’s mealtimes or the kid’s nap or quiet time. Maybe it’s the kids bedtime – or even your bedtime!
Having an anchor point to shoot for is so helpful! Some days I just tell myself, “Okay Stacy, all you need to do is make it 2 more hours until after lunch. You can do this.” I know it’s different if you’ve got older kids. You will have to pick different points to anchor your day than me. But it helps so much to know if you make it to a certain point you can turn your day around. The biggest anchor point for me to is when Barry gets home. It’s a bright spot for the kids too.
Tip # 2 Determine your non-negotiables.
What’s a non-negotiable? Scratch cooking bread is probably the biggest non-negotiable for me. Even if I don’t get anything else done, I am making homemade bread. I know our family feels better and our tummies are full longer with homemade bread. Another non-negotiable is homeschool. There are some days when I might not want to homeschool but I KNOW that it’s something that I need to do. Another example is Family Bible time. I know that reading the Word and praying together is another thing we make sure to get accomplished every single day.
I’ll tell you something that is NOT a non-negotiable for me…if I am in a busy season where I simply cannot get it all done, I am not deep cleaning. Y’all know I love a house that is deep cleaned. I enjoy dusting those baseboards and cleaning behind ever corner and under every thing. But let me tell you right now in my busy season, I am not doing that. I don’t have the mental or physical capacity for any deep cleaning. Deep cleaning is not a non-negotiable for me.
What is it for you that is a non-negotiable?
Maybe it’s something different for you – like exercise. Maybe you need to spend some quiet time alone to read. You can let other things slide but when you are in season you have to get away with a cup of coffee every morning. It’s important that you do some self-reflection and figure out what are your anchor points and your non-negotiables.
One final tip…Make sure that you have someone you can talk to during life’s busy seasons!
For me, it’s Barry, my husband. I will tell him what’s going down every single day so that I don’t go crazy. He always has a way of reminding me of what is most important. He always asks, “Stacy, what are your non-negotiables today? Just get those done and don’t worry about anything else.” Hey may not use those exact words, but he helps me make sure the important things get done and gives me grace to let the other stuff go. Find a friend or family member to help keep you grounded and hold you accountability during crazy times.
Well, that’s my motivational speech for today.
Just always know that I have not arrived ANYWHERE…except maybe Crazytown! But I am in the trenches on this journey with you! I want to make sure you know that I am here for and with you. Comment below if you’re struggling like me or if you’re out of the busy season and have insight for the rest of us!
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