Writer’s Workshop – Finding Balance

* This post is also submitted to Alpha Thursday under “S for Stealing Time“

Balance is something very delicate. A slight step right or left would cause you to slip and fall.

It is not easy to find the equilibrium as there are  constant changes in our environment and limited resources and time.

There is only so many hours a day which one can juggle with. Discounting the times spend on sleep ( I hardly sleep anyway as the baby still wakes up countless times a night) I have an approximate 16-18 workday each day.

My cut on balance is having time to spend with the kids individually, time as a family, time with hubby and time alone for myself.

It’s not easy running a household and having time to pursue  my interests simultaneously. There is always a trade off which has to be made as items  and tasks have to be prioritized.

My lifestyle and schedule took a drastic change when #1 was born. Way back then in 2004 my time management skills were still very raw and things were  very chaotic.

Fast forward to 2011  and 3 kids later I think I’ve got this balance figured out.  I’ve grown really good at stealing seconds and minutes. I guess that being at a job where multitasking and precise planning is essential has been a good training ground for me.

I have set aside time each day for each kids, some for the kids together and scheduled “me minutes” throughout the day.

Mornings are for coaching the eldest, seeing to his homework being done and getting all the chores done before he leaves for afternoon school. In the afternoon, my time is being  spent mostly on the baby. She doesn’t sleep much so I get her involved in the household chores by bringing her around the house while getting things done. We do put some time aside for going through storybooks and flashcards.

At night is spending time with the 2nd boy when he returns from school. Supervising his piano practices and homework.

After the kids are all in bed it’s time for me and hubby as we chill out after a long day at work.

The kids are all involved in doing the household chores so that they can be done more effectively and we can have fun together.

I get my ” me minutes” to check my e-mail, take a 5 min power nap, reading the e-books  that I have downloaded or post on this blog when the baby is napping  or can be put down for awhile.

When the boys are playing with their toys in their room, or when they are seated at their study table doing their homework , I steal minutes to go online or to the kitchen to prepare their meals or bake.

I love cooking and baking and am trying to increase the number of dishes/bakes that I can do. In my “spare” time I search online for the different recipes which I would like to try out.

Another  interest I have is graphic designing. I’m self learning how to create my own graphics using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I’m trying to incorporate time for this by doing tutorials in multiple  parts.

My 1st  graphic using Adobe Illustrator

How do you find your balance?

<a href="http://www.mamakatslosinit.com"target="_blank" <img src="http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/mamakatslosinit/workshop-button-1.png" alt="Mama's Losin' It"

Jenny Matlock

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