Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images
My grand plans for summer are drifting away due to busier and more tiresome summer activities.
When scheduling a morning activity, I often fail to consider the time needed to rest and recover from being in the sun.
For some reason, I think I can function at the same speed all day long.
This is not the case.
The result is a disappointment in having that to-do list take a back seat. Sometimes I feel that my to-do list rules me rather than being a tool to using time wisely.
Around our house, we needed a break and time to relax. We took this time on Monday where the girls and I watched the movie Enchanted about 4 times. (Mr. 9 watched for awhile, but he’s not into princess movies. š ) We played and watched and chilled out.
It was so nice to just put everything on hold. I tend to feel guilty for just sitting around, but Iām learning that life is more than just doing. I definitely have the doing part down, but I need to learn the living part.
When Iām with friends, I have no problem relaxing and enjoying my time with them. However, when Iām home, I cannot get in the same mindset. Surrounded by laundry, vacuuming, a sink full of dishes, coupons to cut, curriculum to review, etc., I have not been able to put on blinders and just play.
Iām struggling to relax at home. It sounds crazy that this place where I spend so much time cooking, cleaning, decorating, creating, writing, etc. can be the hardest place to relax.
For me, I play with my kids more when we are out of the house than in the house. Though I enjoy interacting with them, I really miss out on their activities at home because Iām too busy doing those million items on my never-ending to-do list.
While on this journey to using time wisely, I am learning to delegate more, ask for help, and let things go to intentionally play and invest in the lives of my family. This undertaking is not easy. I get distracted by good things frequently, but going back and starting over is making this summer more enjoyable as we play together.
If you are on this same journey of struggling to relax, take heart. Continuous little steps result in great strides. Happy learning!
Question: How are you navigating your summer routine?
