I had a random lunch date with a friend I hadn’t seen in over a year. It started as coffee, then we got to talking about food, Indian food to be exact- and that turned into an impromptu lunch and some really good stories shared. It could have easily gotten blown off, there were things to do.. dishes, laundry, my dog needs a bath so bad that I’m pretty sure the neighbors can smell her, and of course there is dinner to be planned. But, on this particular day, I said no to whatever was left undone and left it there.
There is always things to do.
There is not always friends to have lunch with.
I’ve come to realize that all the “things” will never be done, and to put off life until things are done is like waiting for the wind to hold still.
And, the funny thing about this particular day was that, in fact… I got a lot done.
I had wanted to spend time with her, and in the hour or so in between coffee and lunch I managed to get the hygienic chores complete: clean dishes, and clean laundry.
Stinky dogs can come another day, so can organizing the paperwork, and de cluttering the kids’ closets can be delegated into other days that lie ahead.
Don’t let your life be too busy to make memories.
Take time to identify the “moment thieves” in your daily routine; is it social media? Is it having to run to the grocery store daily because you have no idea what to make for dinner? Is it the endless pile of laundry/paperwork/dishes/clutter?
Now: Take a moment and think about a random week in life, what do you remember most about it? Chances are, the moments that stand out are not the trips to the store, the laundry or the chores.
It’s the moments you shares with family and friends, or time spent alone with God.
Those moments are what make life matter.
Remember those moment thieves?
Arrest them.
Take back your time, your memories and your life. Make this year count.
If social media is your time thief, set aside ____ number of minutes to scroll, and put it down.
If it’s those random store trips, set up a monthly calendar menu plan (ie; meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday) Next, make a detailed shopping list and stick to it. Chances are, you’ll save more than time, you will save money, too. If you can’t think of menus, there are tons of blogs/sites online that have example plans.
And, finally… the laundry, the paperwork, the clutter. The main reason these areas get overwhelming is lack of maintenance. Unfortunately, these chores will always be there. But, with maintenance, they can be managed into moments of your day instead of hours.
This is where you make have to spend a full day getting caught up. Not fun, but necessary. Once you are caught up, maintain. Break up the laundry into specific days: whites on Wednesday, colors on Monday and Friday. If you have competent family members, delegate days for each member.
And, finally… the chores: Vacuuming, dusting, mopping…the dreaded bathroom.
I have three dogs, three chickens, a cockatoo, and amazon parrot, parakeets, fish, turtles and tortoises, and a bearded dragon, a kid and a husband. Of course, the reptiles and chickens are outside, so…
I vacuum daily.
I like vacuuming.
I steam mop twice a week, and wet mop bleach once a week. (Every other day I mop) I live in a smaller home, so keeping it sanitary is easy. It takes under an hour to both vacuum and mop. I suggest you time how long it takes you to do each chore, once you realize that aforementioned chore takes just _____ minutes to do, you will be able to incorporate it into your day much easier.
We tend to procrastinate on chores that appear time consuming, but in actuality, they aren’t that time consuming.
So, arrest those time thieves, take back your moments to make memories and live intentionally.
There are vests to protect vital organs from bullets.
