Not enough time to get things done

[mac78]

I am finding it that I am bad at starting projects and not finishing them, then starting a new one......grr. I could kick myself sometimes. Saturday, my son and I left at 8:30 to go visit a college 1 1/2 hours away, got back home at 2:30, had to take daughter up to pick out a boutinere for her prom date, made a couple stops, then came home. That is when I decided I was going to paint my kitchen. Ran out to Ace and got paint and went to town. Painted till I ran out of paint. Then on Sunday, daughter and I left at 11:15 to drive
1 1/2 hours to the shop we bought her prom dress at, and had to leave the dress to get fixed because the alterations were coming out already. We ran around Lima to the mall for 3 hours. Got back home at 6:30 Sunday night.

So, no wonder I never get things fully accomplished. I am constantly running here and there, and my weekends go by so darn fast. My goal is to finish getting the blue painted in my kitchen this week.....but can't do it tomorrow because I am taking Ashley to the college for a meeting......there is always Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday....Nope, Saturday is a track meet in Bowling Green and will be an all day thing. :eek:

For you working ladies out there, do you find there is just not enough time to get things done?

[CohenCottage]

That sounds like the story of my life! Except you can fill in "drive from dog training appointment to appointment" for the kids activities. I work 12-14 hours per day, 6 days per week, and it seems like we can barely get the basics done, much less make progress on projects. Today I didn't even make it to the grocery store! We got a housekeeper every other week recently, so that's helped immensely. I'm considering doing that every week b/c it makes the little time I have off more restful. For the rest of the summer, I'm going to take every other weekend off so that I actually have time to relax and move forward on projects. I think this will help, and we are more open to paying for other people to do the work for us now too.

This weekend DH finished fixing the front of the fence, I made Amish bread, and we did some accounting and relaxing, and washed the bed linens. I wanted to do much more, but it just wasn't happening.

Does anybody else have any other life/time management tips??

[annielinz]

I have no tips to share.

I think it all depends on ones personality. I for one am not a list maker, don't enjoy crossing things off. My best friend and DD love to make lists and get a rush out of putting a line thru their task.

Heres me on a typical day I try to clean. Lets say I start in the kitchen, then I find something that has to go in the back room, head off there. While I'm there I begin to tidy up my dresser, find something that goes into the bathroom, get in there and start wiping down the sink area, can you say easily distractible :p Somehow it all gets done.
I think what I'm good at is being a multi-tasker, which serves me well in my job and that's how I run my life.

When the kids were home my time was more disjointed and revolved around them. Now I'm on my time and am such a happy camper flitting from one thing to another.

[WannaBHomemaker]

I do the same thing - scattered multi-tasking. But then sometimes I get started onto something not related to getting the house cleaned - like reorganizing a bookshelf...

I don't know any tips right off the top of my head...
I just try to get the washer and dishwasher started then I do what I most don't want to do (the bathroom) and go from there

[chyna]

That's the story of my life, I swear I'm constantly doing something around the house and yet nothing seems to get done. It drives me insane!!!:mad:

[cheapdiva]

I can sooo relate to this . . . I posted a topic similar awhile back. I spend an average of 50 hours a week at the office - this week it was closer to 60 because we had an art opening. Half my staff is gone today because of the Easter weekend and I am leaving "early" - 4.

I love lists - and even with every gadget known to man, I still use a piece of paper because I love crossing things off! I also multi-task - what woman doesn't? I prefer to have more than one project at a time going on . . . I think because I bore easily.

This weekend we are going to put books back up on the shelves in our sunroom - we took all of them down (over 250), washed the shelves, sorted the books that we wanted to keep and the ones we are donating - that got done in the last couple of weeks. We have to gut walls and tear two down, I still haven't "crackled" the dining room table, so that is on the list, paint the bathroom because when the new sink was put in they had to replace much of the wall and there has been no primer or paint on it since Christmas, sew curtains for my d-i-l, sew slipcovers for my living room chairs, paint the living room, move everything out of the "funny room" so the contractor can get to work week after next - oh and I want to go see a movie!!

With any luck at least 2 of those things will get done!!! So Mac, you're not alone:p

[mac78]

Ok, your list makes me tired just reading it. :)

[Lisa S]

There is more to do than there is time to do it.

Women have a beautiful picture in their minds of gleaming woodwork, starched linens, bathed children. It's a world where the car is always clean and there are no dirty socks in the house. Candles are lit, books are read, paint is fresh. In this world, weeds are obliterated, roses curve gracefully around a trellis and our nails are done. Our dogs are bathed and our cats are brushed. There is something delicious, organic and healthy baking in the oven ~ And all of our kids will love it.

In my reality, this is never going to happen. If I don't see the kid's fingerprints on the woodwork, I can see it on the windows. I only have starched linens when my mom comes to visit. The kids are only really clean in the summer when they swim all the time. I could survive being lost on Mt Hood for a week if I stayed in my car and ate from the floor. I turn off the lights in the evening and light a candle because candlelight makes everything "look" better. My dogs smell doggie and my cats shed all over the place. Last night's dinner had to be served three different ways to satisfy three different kids.

I get a lot done in my day. I'm a hard worker. But no matter how fast I run, I'll never catch up with my backside. Such is the life of a woman.

In my 40's, I've determined that life goes by too fast to try to make my world perfect. I knock off at the end of the day and try to enjoy time with my family. I don't sign the kids up for every class or sport that comes down the pike. I live with a little imperfection and it's all okay.

If anyone is hungry, I think I've got a half eaten apple in the back seat somewhere...

[cheapdiva]

Lisa, have I told you lately how much we all love you and that wicked sense of humor!
All - because it is Good Friday and we had an incredibly long week, half of my staff got today off and it is really pretty quiet here today. Generally I will try and sneak in a peek early in the day or around lunch but today I feel like goofing off so spending a little more time here.

Sometimes you have to take a mental health break or day and today is one of those for me. I am leaving early today (4) and I am very fortunate where I can take these breaks or leave early occasionally.

Like Lisa, I think we all have high expectations for our homes, our families and our lives. I don't think that's a bad thing - as long as you keep it in perspective. This is the beauty of this board (I'll keep saying it until you are sick of hearing it!) that no matter our age, our location, if we work full time, part time or work at home all of the time, rich (do rich people do this stuff?), poor or in-between - we have a great time together.

Reading Lisa's reply with her down to earth wonderful sense of humor makes me grateful for each one of you being part of my (crazy) life. So thanks and have a wonderful holiday.

Oh, can I have that apple?:D

[mac78]

Can I have directions to Mt. Hood.:)
You said it well.

[Lisa S]

I swear, ladies ~ I love you all. Big party at my house this summer and you're all invited!

[CohenCottage]

I couldn't have said it better myself, and I can donate a half-eaten chikfila biscuit, a half bannana, a cliff bar, 2 cold cups of coffee, and several water bottles to the pot! My husband actually told me today that my car is out of hand and needs to be dealt with.

[chyna]

I could start a dog walking gig with all the leashes laying all over my car (s). Oh and if anyone needs a clean piece of printer paper I've got loads of that in there too. My dd supposedly uses them to color on in the car but all I can see is happening with them is they blow around the backseat and the dogs lay on them in the back window.:rolleyes: Same with the water bottles here. Dd exclaimed "there's my dance water bottle" last week when I put the back seat up so her friend could get in. Gee clean up back there often. :D