5 Tips for Busy

Hello, friends! I'm back!  :)

Back from three big work events in two days. Back from one of the most elegant private clubs in the country. Back from a once-lost-but-never-gone Great American City.  

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Back in my own house. And it's time to put this place in order.

For the past two weeks, I've let stuff slide around the house. There is laundry in baskets all around the house. Laundry on top of the dryer. Laundry on hooks waiting to be hung in closets. And even more laundry waiting unwashed in the hampers. Then there's the kid stuff--books, crayons, action figures & stuffed animals--on every flat surface...
 

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Which is not to say that Phil isn't the most amazing person to live with. He is so great at seeing what needs to be done and just doing it. Without being asked or expecting any special thanks. Plus he makes the most delicious meals!

But, still. There's nothing quite as satisfying for me as watching our house transform from cluttered to clean. 

I have a whole list of projects I want to work on today while the kids are with their dad and Phil is at his annual golf outing. It is such an ambitious list: finish painting the cabinet and add the new hardware, "sew" Bela's new curtains, groceries, impromptu IKEA trip, clean the whole house and finish all the laundry, try out my new Rub-n-Buff gold leaf paint. But I also have a fun book to read and a more realistic sense of my abilities.


In fact, that's what I want to share with you all here. 

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I really hate when I hear myself saying "I'm so busy!" because, really, aren't we all?! Like my friends who are working or parenting AND back in school studying for exams. Or the mom who just had a baby and also has big kids in multiple activities. Or the friends who have more demanding jobs than mine or volunteer for everything in the community, or do both. I could go on & on. 

We are ALL busy sometimes and so I share a few strategies that I used over the past two weeks to keep my head above water.

1. Triage
This one is just like in the ER. You assess what needs to happen and make a plan of attack that puts the highest priority items first. Ask yourself what has to happen and what can fall away. Last week I had to do some laundry, but I did not have to actually put the clean undies & socks in everyone's drawers.

2. Let It Go
The next step is to actively let go of the things that don't matter so you can become hyper-focused on what you do need to do. Last week the kids and I went to the Carnival at their elementary school. They had a FANTASTIC time, looked forward to it for months, yet I did not volunteer for any part of it. I still feel vaguely guilty but am trying to remember that I cannot. do. it. all.

3. Visualize
Imagine yourself soaring serenely over the stress. Radiating peace. Smiling. Just by repeating these little mantras I am able to change my experience.

4. Ask for Help
This one is perennially the hardest for me, but I found myself asking for (and receiving!) help, and it was so liberating.  From the very simple act of using valet at my destination and asking them to help me lift my heavy materials out of the trunk of my car. To asking my blogging friends to fill in here on Cosy Carolina. {In fact I'll be sharing a post from Jen at Mindful Moms Network soon!}

5. Go Round the Horn
And when all the busy-ness is done, have a plan to go back and do whatever it is you have put off. Like today at my house. So, it is now time to bid you all adieu and get back to my list. 

Do you use any of these strategies when you have more "to do" list than time? Do you have any tips to add?? Please share in the Comments section. Thank you! :)

Happy Saturday!