We throw off the lie of perfection and cling to our identity in God as we strive to be whole, healthy, and fit. Our goal is wholeness, not perfection.

Posts tagged ‘time management’

12 Days of Christmas: Day 3 – Rest

3rd Day

…my blogger friends gave to me: The permission to Rest

No book or blog recommendations or photos needed for this one.  Rest looks and feels different for each person.  Over the years, rest has looked very different for me.  Walking while jamming out to music.  Shop therapy at Loose Lucy’s (feels like a lifetime ago now).  Reading magazines while drinking hot tea at Barnes and Noble.  Napping when my oldest son used to nap in the house (now it’s only the car).  Morning quiet time in the kitchen spending time in God’s word and watching the sun rise.  Vegging out on the couch watching back to back episodes of my favorite television series.  I am currently back to napping when the twins do.

You know what rest looks for you right now in this current season.  So do it.  For your own well being, and the well being of those you love, take time out of your crazy busy schedule and rest.  Pencil it in if you have to.

I don’t think you need convincing that resting is good for you.  But, like me, you may not always believe it’s a worthwhile endeavor.  The world around us is vying for our attention, lying to us “If you just get this one more thing accomplished…” – you fill in the promise.  The biggest lie I fall for is “…you’ll be all caught up”.  As a teacher, a mother, and a wife I’ve come to suspect that there’s no such thing as “all caught up”.  There’s always more to do.  Even the hamster on the wheel takes a break from time to time, right?  So, as 2014 winds down, and before we gear up for 2015, let’s give each other permission to rest.

Full disclosure: The 3rd Day of Christmas was yesterday. I took a two hour nap and went to bed at a decent hour rather than stress over hitting the publish button on time.

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balance, goals

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Amateur Juggler (October 4th)

I need to take care of myself.  What does it look like to you to take care of yourself?  There’s basic hygiene, water, nutrition – you know, the basics.  I’m just wondering how other full time working moms take care of themselves.  I remember doing it when my son was a toddler up until the time I got pregnant with the twins.  I did it with the help of having a membership to the Y, and then being a group fitness instructor.  So that kept me accountable because if I didn’t show up to class then class didn’t happen.  But now that I have twins and I’m back at work, I don’t really know what it looks like to take care of myself during this season.

I know sleep is a huge priority (as I yawn).  I know that spending time with God is a priority, but it seems like it’s something I don’t ever get around to, not how I used to, not how I’d like to.  I haven’t worked out in a really long time and I can feel my body craving all the good chemicals I get from working out.  I know I need to go out on a date with my husband.  It feels like it’s been forever since we went somewhere that wasn’t church or with family.

I know there are things I can do to take care of myself, I just don’t see how to juggle it all.  I’m missing margin in my day.  I need white space.  I need…how do you clear things off of your calendar and to-do list when all of the stuff has to be done?  I have a friend of mine at work who used to joke with me “Reina, all you need to do is get yourself a wife.”  All I know is I feel overwhelmed and spent.  So if you’ve got tips or suggestions on how to refocus energy and time, I’d love to hear them.

Category:

balance, grace, organization, parenting, time management

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First Day Of Daycare

I officially return to work tomorrow.  The twins are starting daycare today, though.  We are trying to create a new routine so our mornings are as stress free as possible.  Also, I need a day to be away from them before I have to be at work all day.  Although I’m not dreading returning to work as much as I was, say three weeks ago, I still feel I have a bit of mourning left to do.  Today will be an opportunity to process this new chapter without the fear of crying in front of my colleagues.

My prayer today, and every day for the foreseeable future, is that when I get choked up by thinking of them, that God would replace my sorrow with gratitude and joy, and that I can live each day intentionally, as to not waste any time I get to spend with them, our oldest son, or my husband.  I will also pray that God allows me to leave the world of 8-5 (fellow teachers, let’s just all make believe for the sake of this post, okay?) so I can be as present in the lives of my children as my heart desires.

I'll Miss These Smiles

I’ll Miss These Smiles

ps – I’ve got no idea what we’re supposed to pack for the boys, so as soon as I finish my PiYo workout I will be calling to get that info.  So much for today being a stress free morning.

Category:

parenting

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Mulligan Monday

golf-course

As I was watching the US Open this weekend with my husband, I gave thanks that I am not a professional golfer.  There’s no grace in professional golf. ( Anyone else get a visual of Tom Hanks shouting “There’s no crying in baseball!”?  Just me?)  The first, and only, time I played golf with my husband, he showered me with grace in the form of mulligans – several of them.  I was shocked the first time I realized that in professional golf, the players do not get such a gift.

But like I said, I’m no professional golfer.  So today, I declare this day to be a Mulligan Monday.  I started an at home workout program on May 12th.  It’s a reasonable workout – as little as 10 minutes if I don’t want to warm-up or cool down and it’s as challenging as I make it.  During the first four weeks of doing the program I missed a day each week for one reason or another.  Most people would say that having newborn twins is reason enough.  But now that I know that the best time for me to work out before they even wake up, I really don’t have an excuse not to get it done.

With the exception of the night David Sr., David Jr., and I all tried Rev Abs, I took all last week off.  I decided to use the time to regroup. I wanted to come up with realistic strategies to help me meet the goal of working out each day.

Strategy #1: Visual reminder – I drew up a crude calendar for the next four weeks and taped it up on the wall next to our television. I plan to put a check mark, or a sticker if I ever get around to organizing the teaching supplies I brought home, every time I complete a workout.  My prayer is that having the calendar right next to the TV will serve as a great reminder, not just for me, but also for my motivation squad – David Sr. and Junior.  For every completed week, I will be rewarding myself, not with food, but by buying some of the ingredients I need to make homemade sunscreen.  I’ve totally fallen down the rabbit hole with this whole DIY healthy and natural skincare thing.  (See “No Filter” if that last sentence left you scratching your head)

Strategy #2: Accountability – As soon as I log my workout on my calendar, I will report to my online accountability group.  I set an alarm on my phone to go off during the twins’ “big” nap to remind me to report to the group.  It will also serve as a push and shove for me to work out just in case I haven’t gotten around to it by that time.

Strategy #3: Eliminate excuses – I will keep clean workout gear downstairs, close to the TV room, or in it when possible.  This includes my workout clothes, yoga mat, shoes, and socks.  I am easily distracted, so I’m more likely to start and complete my workout if I do not have to travel upstairs to get my workout necessities.

The beauty of a Mulligan Monday, or any day of the week for that matter, is that there’s no need to wait for New Year’s Day or the first of the month to “start over”.  However, we do need to be careful to not abuse the gift of the do over.  It’s not really a do over if we are continuously starting over.  If we find ourselves constantly starting over, there’s a really good chance we never earnestly started in the first place.  When we notice this happening, it’s best to take a step back to identify our goals, get our priorities in check, make a game plan, and then implement it.

Are you in need of a Mulligan Monday?  In what specific area of your life?  I’d love to walk with you on your journey to wholeness.  Let me know how I can pray with and for you.  Feel free to email me at floyds07@gmail.com if you don’t feel comfortable commenting below.

Category:

grace, organization, time management

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So I Was Thinking About ADH… Squirrel!

I’m not sure why God brought this topic to my mind this morning.  That’s usually how my thought process works though – randomly.  I had just put the boys in their rockers and out on the screened in porch so they could get fresh air while I made some breakfast.  And while I was hustling to make my shake and eggs as fast as I could, I started thinking about how much I disagree with the diagnosis of ADHD. No, I’m not one of those people who doesn’t believe in the existence of ADHD. If you are, cool.  But I’m not.

I totally believe that God blessed some of us with the ability to multimultitask (nope, not a typo) and more energy than others.  Whenever people offer me coffee I politely decline, letting them know that “God made me caffeinated”.  What I don’t believe in is our country’s obsession with treating ADHD like it’s a disease. I blame Big Pharma for that one.

I was diagnosed with ADHD my sophomore year of college.  You read that correctly COLLEGE. I started to see a therapist to deal with PTSD resulting from sexual assault and I walked out of his office with a prescription for Ritalin.  No joke.  I’m not mad at him, though.  If it weren’t for the accommodation that the diagnosis afforded me, I doubt I would have graduated from college on time. It also forced me to deal with my organization and time management issues.

I remember filling out the DSMIV questionnaire and wondering if somehow the creators of the test had based it on my life.  Then the kicker. The counselor told me that although I met the DSMIV criteria, he would need to see copies of my grade school report cards to confirm the diagnosis. Thankfully my mom suffers form a mild case of hoarding and she had most of  my report cards.

Every one of them reported something along the lines of “Very bright girl, but won’t stay in her seat.” And “Very gifted in math, but won’t stop talking.” And my favorite “Very smart girl, but doesn’t turn in her assignments on time.”  I can’t stand when students try to turn in late work in math.  It kind of defeats the purpose of practice.  But I digress…

We didn’t have Ritalin when I was a kid.  Why not?  Because no one was diagnosed with ADHD.  Why not?  Because moms like mine would kick their kids out of the house if they tried to stay in doors and watch TV while it was still light outside.  There were times when I would get back from playing with a friend down the street and if my mom thought I seemed a little too energized still she would tell me to go back outside and get more of my “ya-yas” out.

Although getting my “ya-yas” out helped at home, that practice didn’t serve me too well at school.  We only had one extended recess break to relieve pent up “ya-yas”.  And no amount of releasing of said “ya-yas” was going to help with my lack of organization and time management skills.

But I made it through grade school and high school.  I did not make straight A’s.  In fact, I only made it the honor roll one quarter in the 8th grade because my mom really wanted one of those stickers.  You know the ones.Today, most parents are more interested with the letter grade their student earns than the knowledge and skills they acquire (or in a lot of cases, don’t – in spite of what letter grade they earned).

As an adult I still struggle with these issues.  I do not claim ADHD though.  I will not wear that label.  Again, not because I don’t believe in its existence. I just don’t believe in the disease-medication approach.  So nowadays I exercise regularly to exert my “ya-yas” in a way that benefits my health.  At least once a month I purge my kitchen and dinning room of papers and try to keep pertinent paperwork organized.  And when I have tasks I need to get done, I make a to-do list and use a timer to keep me on target.

What will I do if one of my boys is suspected of having ADHD, you ask?  I’m going to tinker with their diets and enforce strict sleep schedules.  I’m going to have mandatory playtime outside whether they like it or not.  I will have them participate in organized sports if need be. I will teach them how to keep organized backpacks, binders, and how to use an agenda (day planner). If medicine is still necessary, so be it, but these are life skills that they need to master.  Life skills that a pill cannot teach them.

I would love to tie this up in a nice bow and ask you an engaging question to which you can respond by writing in the “comment” box.  But my next blog has been trying to interrupt this one the whole time I was typing so, gotta go.

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random

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