Ever since I started following her blog, I have been inspired to take stock of the little things I can do to work a little harder to ensure that my priorities (namely, my family) and my decisions (namely, how much I work) are actually aligned. Which brings me to my New Year's resolution:
Taking back my leisure time
It may sound corny, and vaguely reminiscent of a Justin Timberlake song, but it is by far the most important thing I could do for my own mental health and for the sake of my family. A few months ago, I took this oh-so-characteristic picture of my adorable dog:
I call it "Saturday," and shortly after taking it, I realized that my Saturdays almost never look like this. In fact, they typically involve me locking myself in my combination craft room/office so I can spend the day grading, annotating texts, and/or creating new instructional materials--none of which I get paid extra for. For a long time, I thought I was okay with this...and then winter break came. And I relaxed. And I crafted. And I raked the leaves in my front yard. And. I. DIDN'T. work. And I had a realization: it's time for me to relax when I'm supposed to relax, work when I'm supposed to work, and not feel guilty about it!
Here's my plan:
- Leave work at work
We are two weeks into the new semester, and so far I have been able to do just that. My contract day ends at 3:30, and I am regularly at school until 5:30 (for a variety of reasons), but when I leave, I leave everything. No grading, no reading, no making materials when I'm not on campus. - Choose hobbies over TV
In the past month I have crocheted three hats, sewed a quilt top, completed a painting I have been pondering for months, and watched minimal TV. How do I feel about that? Absolutely brilliant! I get sucked into TV because I assume I am "supposed" to watch TV when I want to relax, but it is really completing projects and gaining a sense of accomplishment that help me truly unwind. - "Earn" my free time
I tend to "freeze up" when I am torn between what I "should" do (clean the house, do laundry, etc.) and what I want to do (sew, paint, read, etc.). To break the stalemate, I decided to look at chores as a way to "earn" guilt-free time to enjoy my projects. This was especially helpful during winter break, when I had nothing but my own decisions to structure my time. - Chunk it out
Did you know it's okay to work on a project a little at a time? Apparently, I did not--until recently. A brilliant colleague of mine shared a trick she learned to beat the essay-grading blues: set a timer for 15 minutes, grade until the timer goes off, and then repeat the process if you feel up for it. I highly recommend this strategy for any chores you particularly hate doing...like folding laundry. Shudder. - Listen to my sonKids deserve our time, especially if they happen to be an only child, like my little guy. When he asks me to play baseball in the backyard, get his box of puzzles down, or play Zingo with him, I try to comply--even if it pulls me away from something that seems more important. In his life, nothing is more important than quality time with his parents.
- Forgive myself when I mess up
I know I am going to slip up now and then, but the whole goal of this resolution is to have less stress in my life--not more. If something doesn't go the way I want, I will get back on the wagon as soon as I can.
A few Sundays ago, I bore my testimony during Relief Society, which is the women's group at my church. I spoke of how I love my church because it focuses on being more like Christ--better today than we were yesterday--without demanding or expecting perfection--and I can do better. THIS is me doing better.
