My Advice to Myself {Spin Cycle}

Lately, I’ve been feeling rushed. Which seems quite ridiculous to me, since I’m mostly a stay-at-home mom. I rush to get ready in the morning; to pack lunches, make sure my children are fed and dressed and then rush out the door to drop them off at school. I rush to volunteer at church or school or to my part time job, to the grocery store or to the doctor’s office.

When I’m at home, I’m rushing to throw that load of laundry in the washing machine, to empty the dishwasher or vacuum something. Before I know it, I need to pick up the girls from school and rush to ballet, rush to do math and study spelling words, make dinner, wash the dishes and put the kids to bed.

In between writing these paragraphs, I cleared junk mail off of the counter, put a load of laundry in the dryer, noticed what time it was and rushed to get dinner going on the stove. I took out the garbage and recycling (see “cleared off the counter” up above!)

Even when I’m online I’m in a rush; to answer emails or comment on blogs, Facebook or Google+ as quickly as I can so that I can get back to the real tasks in life.

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar.

Way back when I was teaching full time and going to graduate school, I used to quell that rising feeling of anxiety by telling myself that everything I needed to do would get done.  That paper would get written in time, my report cards would be handed out on the correct days, and I would be prepared for parent conferences.

Somehow, it worked. By plugging away and working steadily and also (this is important!) taking breaks, it all got done.

My tasks now are quite different, but it all gets done. The girls go to school with clean clothes, I manage to make dinner every night, and sometimes, there are crumbs under the kitchen table.

I’ll vacuum those crumbs…tomorrow. It will get done.

Spin Cycle at Second BloomingGretchen is giving advice this week at The Spin Cycle. Put your spin on it and tell me in the comments below…what advice would you like to give me, someone else, or yourself?

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15 Replies to “My Advice to Myself {Spin Cycle}”

  1. Oh honey, my hand is firmly raised! It will get done, won't it? Okay, I feel better. I will try to take your advice.

    And you are linked!
    My recent post Advice

  2. The only thing you should rush about is the toilet. If you have to go, you have to go and you can rush away all you want. All other things are not really worth it. You getting worked up about something will only mean that you get sick at some point rushing everywhere.
    My recent post Wheels

  3. Sometimes I think I make myself crazy by running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get things done. Then I end up being overwhelmed and freeze. This is a good mantra to remember: it will get done. It may not be perfect, but as long as it's done, that's what counts, right?
    My recent post Weddings Make Me Crazy

  4. Um, yep, that sounds like my life too, plus the career. I think as moms we just have our hands full all the time, whether we stay at home, work outside the home, have little kids or have big kids. But just like you, I can only do so much in a day and I too tell myself that some things will just have to wait sometimes!
    My recent post These Darn Contractions!

  5. I agree… breaks are important. When I was a stay at home mom I did that too. Now that I work full-time and there are some days I'll get home from work and not even feel like cooking dinner or cleaning. At least my home is presentable (most of the time) and we get fed. Things will get done when they gets done.
    My recent post Totally Random

  6. I feel the same way. I rush around piling laundry and washing dishes and cleaning the baby's face, and it's as if I'm being timed. I think for me I just think that if I get it all done quickly, I'll have more time to relax all night. And of course with two kids, it never works out that way..
    My recent post Behind the Lens.

  7. I tell you what, if you manage to cook dinner every night you are a step above most. By most, I'm referring to me. With a demanding job and a toddler I ALWAYS feel rushed. This is a nice reminder to "unplug." Visiting from SITS.
    My recent post And the Winner Is…

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