The Zimmer Zoo

One thing I’m always asked is how do I have enough time to <insert said thing>: read, blog, have a second job, crochet, volunteer…whatever.

The honest answer is: I don’t know. Perhaps we’ll all figure it out by the end of this post. 🙂

As you may know, I have a full-time job. Recently though, I’ve been working from home full time instead of the 2 days a week that I was doing. An instant 6 hours a week gained from travel time! Since I still have my nanny for the same number of hours…there’s time for my second job built right in.

My blog posts are written…whenever, actually. If I don’t have time, you’ll see some photos and a little blurb – usually sent as an email from my phone. If I have some time over lunch or after the kids go to bed, I’ll put together a longer post. This one? I’m actually hand-writing it on the back of a flyer while waiting for Burke’s art class to finish up. I’ll either type it up tonight after the kids go to bed and set it to post in the morning, or I’ll type it up tomorrow morning some time…and I’ll type it up word-for-word so I don’t have to THINK about it and it’ll only take a minute or two. There’s no way I’m typing all of this out on my phone! (Note: I’m actually typing this up this morning right before posting…)  READING my favorite blogs is different story. I do that here and there – some on my computer and some on my phone. All through my blog reader though. And I HATE that I don’t have enough time to comment on them all. (Know that I’m still reading though!!)

I tend to crochet in spurts. And those spurts tend to happen around when I need to finish up a project before giving it to someone (like a baby blanket). The spurts also usually happen in the car when we head to Vermont or while I’m watching TV after the kids have gone to bed.

Right now, almost all of the stuff I volunteer for is online with a meeting here and there….except for Sunday School. I figure I’m at church anyway, so I might as well help out, right? (Not next time!!) The PTO meets once a year and the rest is done through email. Since I’m in front of my computer all day anyway – that’s easy. Membership Chair for my Twins club is all done online as well, so… that’s easy too. And Fishful Thinking is mostly done online or chatting with another mom while I’m waiting for one of the kids’ classes to finish up.

Reading. I won’t ever give up reading! I have to admit that there are weeks when I don’t get enough sleep because I’m finishing up a book well after I should be asleep. But I also make sure that I build in time to read. I leave a little bit early to pick the kids up from school so I can park and read a chapter or so. The kids have a class? I bring a book (but I try to be social if there are other moms there!) Kids watching a TV show, but I haven’t seen them all day so I want to sit with them? I read a book with a kid on each side and one in my lap. (I think it’s important for my kids to see me read anyway. I know seeing my parents read books absolutely fostered my love of reading.)

I have to admit – having a nanny helps A LOT. I wouldn’t be able to leave a bit early to get the kids if Logan had to come with me. And I wouldn’t be able to sit in peace if the other two kids had to come with me to Burke’s drawing class or Maggie’s dance class.

I also have to admit that I leave some things undone around the house. Are all of the kids’ toys picked up every night? Nope. Are there dishes in the sink over night some nights? You bet. And I use my crock pot a lot so that I don’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen.

So…time. I multitask, plan, leave some things undone…and I’m incredibly lucky.

Filed under: me | Tagged: crochet, lucky, reading, time, time management, volunteering |