It’s Monday the day after Daylight Saving Time. And though I know yesterday was the first official “spring forward”, the lost hour always seems to get absorbed in the relaxed nature of Sunday. So today is the actual day where I feel the crunch of only 23 hours to spend.
Sleep is too precious to part with, so I must make up for the lost time somewhere else. Here’s my plan. Five ways I’ll cut an hour out of my day:
Social media: Absolutely my number one time waster. There is no close second. In fact I’ve already been sucked in by an ebook special running on my book today. Checking and looking and liking and gauking. Oh mercy how much time have I given away?! As of right now, I will avoid social media (I don’t even want to admit how much time this will save me.)
Dinner prep: Okay no fair right? I’m cutting out huge chunks of time here by eliminating entire meals. It’s leftovers night. We planned accordingly last night by making extra because of the five events on our family’s calendar this evening, yes five, all in different locations involving different combinations of family members. And now one child home sick and one basketball practice with a new location, I’m going to be running from 4:00 til 8:00 tonight. Pulling food out of the fridge and warming up in the microwave is as fresh as it gonna get. (I know there’s Farm to Table, tonight is Microwave to Table, let’s start a movement right here.)
Styling my hair: It doesn’t happen every day. Not going to happen today. Ponytail.
Worrying: So I don’t consider myself a big worrier, I really don’t, but the last week I’ve felt the stress of life bubble to the surface, even keeping me awake in the middle of the night. How do I cut out a mind trap I don’t want in the first place? Not exactly sure, so suggestions welcome. But keeping my mind focused on things I can change or have some control over usually helps. Because my worry is almost always wasted on things beyond my control.
Organizing My Hall Closet: If you’ve spent any time in my house you know my closets have never been organized. But there are some tasks that though I never seem to get to, I always wake up feeling hopeful that maybe today’s the day. Maybe today’s the day I’ll go through that closet. And the chore hangs over my head and I don’t get to it again (because I’m obviously avoiding it, so what’s going to prompt me today to be any different?) So right now I’m letting go of that expectation. I know I’m not getting to that closet today; I’m going to stop pretending.
How about you? Feeling the crunch of an hour lost? What are you going to give up today to live within your 23 hours?