Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeletestep 1- work, church, coaching
step 2 - family time, spend time with my parents, reading and sewing
step 3 - weekly date with spouse, have kids and parents over for meals.
step 4 - spend time with friends, read more, self care.
step 5 - housework, errands, meal prep, helping others
Uffda. In today's busy, fast-paced life, it is hard to know immediately what you should spend less time on. Everything is important, right? LOL Non flexibles are easy to figure out and include my children's sporting events. Top priorities include time with my family and doing activities that bring me joy, like scrapbooking. Deciding what to truly prioritize and when is so hard with so many things to be done at home and school. I definitely spend too much time on menial tasks or jumping from one thing to another. I feel like ALL of my time is allocated. Ha! I definitely have some mental work ahead in prioritizing all the things to bring me more peace and joy.
ReplyDelete1. Non-flexible-work Monday through Friday. This is non-flexible as it is required to allow time for everything else.
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities-family and friend time. This time allows for me to wind down and relax around those that know me best.
3. Self Care-Making time for me-talk time to do something I enjoy that does not require much thought.
4. House work, grocery shopping, sleep, watching Netflix.
1-Non-flexible-:30 min commute 7-7:30/3:45-4:15; work 7:30-3:45
ReplyDelete1st Friday of the month 7:00 SEBH meeting, 1st Wednesday of the month board meeting
2-Top priorities: enjoying kids activities, making memories with my kids, reading, me time- meal prep and working out, dating my husband, friend time
3/4 green box activities- kids, husband time, me time
5-in between time- housework (everyone gets chore areas to make the work go faster, sleep, other errands
Post was created by Shelly Berning
DeleteStep 1: Non-flexibles: work, meetings, commute time, doctor appointments
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Top Priorities: keeping my daughter healthy and feeling loved, teaching my daughter math/reading, my health (diet, physical therapy), personal growth/mental health, other family time, math job
Steps 3/4: Top Priorities, prioritized and allocated: I need to try and leave work at work on time so I can make sure my daughter is drinking enough water and eating healthy. I think I need to "unplug" for a month to make sure I'm not going down rabbit holes looking for teaching, cooking, and quilting ideas. I can try getting up an hour before my daughter to start my day off with my physical therapy and getting in the right headspace for my job. I can use Saturdays to work on learning skills with her. I can use vacations to make time with other family members. I like the idea of leaving Sundays open as a buffer.
Step 5: In Betweens: housework, quilting, practicing piano
1. Non-Flexible- teaching & coaching
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities- family at home, family trips, self care, exercise
3. Top Priorities Ordered - Wake up early and exercise, not rush my kids to daycare & school in the morning and get a slower start to my day, drop my daughter off at school at 7:55, get to school at 8:00, teach until 3:25, meetings/plan from 3:25-4:00, pick up my kids and start dinner for everyone, do a family activity, get the kids in bed by 7:30-8:00 and spend time with my wife. During basketball season I do not get home until 6:00, so this looks a little different.
4. Unallocated Priority Time- my family is my priority, so weekends and nights are all for them.
5. Everything else- cleaning, laundry, groceries.
This is a really difficult task for me right now. I think I am still struggling with my what and why a little.
ReplyDelete1. Non flexible- work hours, booster events, medical appts, drive time to kids’ activities, church
2. Top priorities- self care, family/spouse, healthy eating, time for prayer and spiritual study
3. Prioritizing- exercise/self care in the morning before work and in the evening before bed (10 minutes approx.), meal prep in any remaining time before work and after work before other obligations, prayer and faith in the morning (10 minutes approx.) before getting ready for work and evening (20-30 minutes) before bed, family/spouse time on the weekend and evening meal (when we are home)
4. Top priorities allocated- I like the idea in the book about the teacher that has “priority time”. Depending on how I’m feeling, any of these would be a good way to spend my time.
5. Everything else- sleep, housework, errands, grading/schoolwork
Step 1: Identify your non flexibles: Work hours, including my commute (I turn my car into a classroom and listen to audiobooks and podcasts), taekwondo lessons for the kids
ReplyDeleteStep 2: List your top priorities that you want to uncover more time for: These are my top priorities, but I already have time allocated for them: Family time, working out, food prep, reading, photography, and planning for mountain adventures.
Step 3: Specify what life would look like if you prioritized those things: I follow a routine every weekend for recovery (sleeping in), working out, and food prep, 1-2 hours of lesson planning is always on Sunday afternoons to get ready for the week. Week day evenings and Saturday afternoons and evenings are flexible for family time, reading, photography, or planning for the mountains.
Step 4: Add top priorities to the unallocated time in your schedule: My top priorities are already in my daily routines/schedule.
Step 5: Identify the in-betweens and add them to your schedule: Sleeping in on weekends (recovery), meal-prep on Sunday afternoons, light housework throughout the weekend, lesson planning on Sunday afternoons.
Step 1: Work from 7:45-3:30 and church on Sunday mornings
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Family, rest, exercise, and embroidery
Step 3: Not working at home and getting up earlier
Step 4: Quiet time and exercise in the morning, family time after supper, embroidery after bedtime for the kids
Step 5: Sleep - going to bed between 10 and 10:30, plan meals on Thursdays and pick up groceries on Saturday, and housework in the morning after my quiet time, exercise, and getting ready after school before everyone gets home until supper
Non-flexibles: 50 min. commute to work each workday, 7:45-4:15 contracted work time, afterschool IEP meetings for whole caseload
ReplyDeleteTop Priorities: Exercise, following up intentionally with friends/family, playing with dogs, 7 hours of sleep/night
What would life look like if I did this?
Honestly, pretty similar to my day-to-day so far this school year!
Adding top priorities:
Scheduling my bedtimes so I get at least 7 hours of sleep before alarm goes off for early morning exercise
Identifying in-betweens:
batching errands to one evening/after work per week
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteNon-flexible time would be obligations like work, and medical appointments. I would like to have more unstructured time to spend on projects. If I prioritized these things, I would get my projects done, and feel better about myself. Top priorities would take place in this free time. Tasks that have to be done are written on the calendar.
Step 1: non-flexible: work from 7:30-4:00 M-F, church Sundays 10:30-11:30
ReplyDeleteStep 2: top priorities: spend time with kids/husband, bible study/devotional, daily exercise
Step 3: getting up earlier to do my workouts and devotional every morning instead of sometimes after school, which would free up my after school time to spend more time with my kids, date night twice a month with my husband, and play volleyball once a week for 2 hours
Step 4: I always use weekends to spend time with kids, so if I am playing volleyball or at bible study during the week I can still have time with my kids too on another day, but I think being more consistent in waking up earlier to have more free time in the evenings would be very beneficial for me. I also like the idea of "flex time" as mentioned in the book.
Step 5: I would like to be better about grocery shopping, going to the store once over the weekend and again on Wednesdays to save time throughout the week. I usually do a little cleaning everyday to keep the house maintained without a big cleaning job needed on one day.
1. Non-Flexible- work, work commute
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities-kids, family, selfcare, exercise
3. Top Priorities Ordered - Wake up early and exercise, not rush my kids to daycare & school, get to work on time, pick up my kids and make dinner for everyone, spend family time together, get the kids baths and in bed by 8:00-8:30 and spend time for self care.
4. Unallocated Priority Time- weekends are my time my kids and I go with the flow. Sometimes we'll schedule activities during this time but try to be loose/not stressed about them.
5. Everything else- cleaning/dishes, laundry, groceries.
1. Non-flexible Work
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities Wife, parents, exercise, Bible Reading
3. Top Priorites orders Bible Reading (First thing when I wake up, Exercise (Walk to school or at school for 10 minutes), Wife (Set a specific time I will be home by), Parents (seeing them at least once a month) (Seeing my dad more now that he is in the hospital)
4. Unallocated Priority Time- Weekend I need to really focus on my wife and hobbies. I think setting aside Saturday as no school day would be good. On Sunday, I will schedule a certain time for school work, even if it review what I need to do for school the next week. If I don't use the time for school it can be flex time. One thing I need to do is once I leave school, leave stuff at school, so i can foucs on my priorities. Also I need to schedule time for exrcise in the evening also.
5. Everything else: cleaning, laundry, lawn mowing, yard work, etc. I think if I can do a little each day when I get home, it will make my Saturday and weekend even freer, and even give more flex time on the weekend.
I unknowingly on this list last year went I made the decision to not go back to my classroom teaching position! So now I am perhaps working the steps a bit in reverse. More time for my kids and their activities moved to the top, something that my previous commute to school and teaching load were not allowing much time for. Now my schedule is more flexible and able to be filled with more of the things that are actually a priority for me, and I have given up some of those things I was losing time (and energy!) to.
ReplyDeleteChapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeletestep 1: Non-negotiables- Work hours weekly from 7-6 M-Th (includes 30 minutes commute time)
step 2 - Areas you want to prioritize-
Bible study & church life; time with husband and our families; writing and sharing music
step 3-Get specific about what life would look like with these priorities -
Weekly Bible studies & church attendance; no grading papers at home on weeknights; lesson plan when husband works on Saturday mornings; making time to call, visit, and write family members on weekends; singing in church & for other ministry-related events
step 4- add top priorities to unallocated time in schedule -
Add exercise for better physical well-being
step 5-add the in-betweens to your schedule - cleaning house, laundry, medication filling, farm bookworm, grocery shopping, meal prep
Now that I'm staying at home with my kids, this exercise looks a lot different. However, I still rarely accomplish all the things I'd like to in a day, so I do think it's worth doing.
ReplyDeleteStep 1 - My non-flexibles are all the basic tasks that go toward caring for my children throughout the day.
Step 2 - My top priorities are my husband, kids, Bible Study/Mass, exercise, and reading.
Step 3 - I could organize a date night once a month with my husband and be more intentional with our time together once the kids are in bed. I could read my Bible as soon as the kids go down for naps instead of waiting until I've cleaned the living room, folded laundry, etc. I could consistently go on morning walks with my kids (no excuses!) to ensure I get some exercise in my day. I could read before bed instead of being on my phone.
Step 4 - The nap times/bed times for my kids, along with the weekends, are my unallocated time. Step 3 mostly covered how I could adjust my priorities during those time periods. When we don't have plans with extended family, our weekends are definitely "flex time" and we really love that.
Step 5 - My in-betweens are cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, random errands/appointments, and sleep.
During the past few years, I realized many of the things listed in this book on my own. I was constantly busy, doing things for other people that didn't make me happy or fill my cup. Then my friend said, "Why don't you just say no?" It never occured to me that I could say no. I realized I liked doing some of the things I was doing, I felt obligated to others so I sat down to figure out how to streamline it all. I didn't like being busy every single night for my stepsons sports. So with my own girls, we picked one activity to do. They'd rather be playing outside with friends and it wasn't worth the fight to get them to the activities they had chosen in the first place! They are still in a physical activity and also get their time outside. I have less time driving them around, enjoy my time with them outside and have more money. :) Next, I liked serving on the church board but then my daughters troop needed a leader. I could do it all.... but I didn't enjoy doing all the things. So for now I am the leader while my girls are young. When they are older, I will go back and be on the church board. I realized I also liked helping adults with mental, emotional, and physical health but it was time consuming chatting with people all the time. So I became a BODi partner (formerly Beachbody coach), I created an accountability group to share all my info in one place, and now I make money and earn trips with that effort. Which lead to me having better friendships, going back on trips, more money, and really strong faith base shared among that group. I'm still serving my community, my kids are still involved in activities, it just all had to shift for now. And everyone is happier, has more time and money and life feels a lot lighter. I realized if it isn't making me happy, I can say no. They'll find someone else to do it. They were just asking me because they knew I'd always say yes.
ReplyDelete1: Identify your non-flexibles-Time I spend at work, after school activities. I do not want to take away any more time from my family for time at school that isn't necessary.
ReplyDelete2: List your top priorities that you want to uncover more time for. My kids, their hobbies, and reading.
3:Specify what life would look like if you prioritized these things. I think that giving myself more time for my kids after school and the activities and hobbies they like, it would make me feel less guilty and stressed about all the times I do need to put in extra work outside of school hours. I also think more time spent reading and relaxing myself will help with the burnout feeling.
4:Add top priorities to the unallocated time in your schedule. I can try to read and go for walks when my kids are napping or after they are asleep.
5: Identify the in-betweens and add them to your schedule. The usual things that need done, cleaning, grocery shopping, meal planning, scheduling appointments, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe process described in Ch. 6-8 is basically a written form of what I’ve been working so hard to manage in my life over the past two school years because I can no longer spend so much time and energy on school without feeling burnout or guilt. I’ve read a lot and tried to look at my processes with the weekly, rather than daily, view in mind. I’ve gotten things to a point that they usually work for me, but I could still fine-tune some things so that I can get a daily workout in and not have to stay at work late (6-7:30) the one or two nights a week that I do, but I’m guessing that will remain a fixture for the time being.
How I’ve worked this system for myself:
-Start each day with a blank NEON notecard (I used to use scrap paper, but it got lost too easily and was very uninspiring!) Throughout the day, I write down everything that needs action or to be done that day in order for me to feel prepared and ready to go home without needing to think about school once I get home (excluding those times when I have research papers or book reports to grade).
-I’ve found that Monday and Tuesday tend to be too early to accurately plan much of the next week, so I don’t worry about planning on either of those days. This takes A LOT of stress off my plate Mon./Tues. evenings. I try to fill any extra time these evenings with making copies that I know I’ll need over the next week or two, or reviewing reading assignments that I plan to assign during the week.
-Use plan period and free time to GRADE or cross off things from my list (not dink around reading unnecessary e-mails or visit co-workers)
-I always print my lesson plan for the next day the night before so that it’s ready for me when I come in each morning and having that “clean slate” helps me focus. I know that two things will always be on the notecard each day: grading and tomorrow’s lesson plan (prepped/printed). I will not leave until most/all of this is done (again, with exception of big grading assignments)
-I try to keep Wed.-Thurs. evenings as free as possible so that I have extra time at school to plan lessons for the next week. Then, if I don’t get things done by Thursday, I know that I can use Friday afternoon as “roll over” time to keep work from flowing into the weekend.
During the weekend, I try to keep 2-3 hours open for house cleaning on Saturday, as well as a 2-hour chunk on Saturday to get in a good workout. Sundays are for church and we spend a lot of our Sundays with my in-laws, so I feel that this time is pretty well spoken-for.
Areas that I find myself feeling that I could work on:
-Feeling that I spent too much time grading (enough said)
-Trying to figure out other assignments or projects that will meet learning needs for my students without requiring so much prep time/effort from me
-Feeling that lesson planning/manually entering standards takes far too long at this point in my career.
Some steps I’m working/planning to help these areas needing improvement:
-I plan to copy my online lesson plan book this next year. I’ve always opted to create new so that assignments can be added at the correct time, but that also creates a whole new need to for me re-enter my standards and again.
-Finding ways to “streamline” my evening so that all of us (husband, son, and I) have more of a nightly routine
-Being willing to stand up and directly say “no” to some of the obligations that I feel pressure from school or family to be part of.
The book is both proving to me that I have put some hard work in and seen A LOT of gains, and reminding me that I still have some areas to consider. Like Angela Watson writes, this is not a set-in-stone thing and life fluctuates constantly, but just being aware helps me see that opportunities that I have to create positive change for my life and activities.
The first step, for me, would be to identify my priorities. What legacy do I hope to leave? I have nailed down my legacy for this stage in my life but how do I get rid of the time-consuming items that neither contribute to my priorities nor help met my legacy goals. I love the idea of identifying my non-flexible and my priorities into a schedule that I can see. I currently have my to do list but plan on rearranging it after this task is done :) My priorities are my spiritual life, family life then coaching/teaching. These match the legacy I want to leave so now I need to eliminate the other time-crunching items: correcting papers, visits by colleagues during plan period, removing myself from committees that I serve on that don't match my goals.
ReplyDelete1. Non-flexibles: 20 minute commute; work 4:00-12:30
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: spending time with my newborn and husband, extended family, making time to attend church, setting career goals
3. Prioritizing of Steps 1 &2: baby time, husband and me time, family time, work goals
4. Top Priorities to unallocated time: family time is my top priority when it comes to unallocated time
5. In-betweens: laundry, cleaning, exercising, groceries, sleep
Application of these 5 steps will be a lot easier now that I have a set work schedule. My previous job fluctuated start/end/and overtime and that made scheduling very difficult. Now I feel like I am in a better position to dedicate more time to my top priority, my family.
A few things I can put into my daily life for long term goals:
ReplyDelete1. Non-flexibles: work schedule and driving to work, kids activities.
2. Top Priorities: family and church time, self-care time, college class.
3. Most of those priorities: Meal prep time, don't take school work home - work later on certain days of the week. Get up early for faith building.
4. Unallocated time: meal plan for week, working on adding things to my classes such as projects or group activities.
5. In-betweens: laundy, grocery shopping, reading.
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life. I want to spend my time at my job working to educate students and make a difference in their life. Especially giving them skills so they can get a good job, so they have a bright future. I want to have time to enjoy my family, and hope that I leave a good legacy for them to remember.
ReplyDeleteChapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life
ReplyDelete1. Non-Flexibles: 25 minute commute to and from work, work 8-4
2. Top Priorities: exercise, family time, mental health time
3. Most of those priorities: exercise consistently, walk dogs more often, spend more time doing what I enjoy to boost mental health meal prep time
4. Unallocated Time: meal plan, work on adding more exciting things to my everyday life and job, exercise differently
5. In-betweens: laundry, groceries, dog walking, shopping, reading, etc.
I have multiple areas that I can improve on. This book is giving me a deeper look on how to do that.
Completing this task presented a considerable challenge for me. Traditionally, I thrive in a busy environment. However, I've observed a recurring trend in recent years where I consistently feel disappointed or unfulfilled by the end of each day. Through engaging in this activity, my aim is to reorganize my priorities effectively and cultivate a greater sense of success and satisfaction at the conclusion of each day.
ReplyDelete1. Non-Flexibles: Working from 8-4:30 Monday – Thursday and everyday essentials needed to take care of my family and their well-being.
2. Top Priorities: Family time with my husband and 2 ½ year old, making time to attend a church service once a week, self care for at least 1 hour a week, self-improvement or professional development, exercise.
3. Specify what life would look like if you prioritized these things: What life may look is could organizing a date night once a month with my husband and be more intentional with our time together once our daughter is in bed. I would consistently go on evening walks with my daughter to ensure I get some exercise in my day and spend time with my daughter. I would read before bed instead of being on my phone or tablet. I could set aside 1 hour or 30 min each day of the weekend dedicated to self-care (journaling, meditating, ect.), I would dedicate at least 15 minutes a night during the weekdays of reading a self-development book or working on a professional development to further my career.
4. Unallocated Time: Add in exercise to ensure better physical well- being,
5. In-betweens: laundry, groceries, dog walking, shopping, etc.
Step 1 - My non-flexibles are the daily tasks that go into caring for my family, and my hours spent at work.
ReplyDeleteStep 2 - My top priorities are my husband, kids, church, small group, time with friends
Step 3 - I could wake up earlier in the morning to give myself time to prepare for the day before everyone is awake and demanding things from me. I could plan weekend activities with my children and husband to make more memories. I could schedule a monthly date night with my husband to continue to grow our relationship with each other.
Step 4 - On the weekends, the rest/nap time for my children and the time after they are in bed is my free time to do some self-care, read, take a nap, or catch up on something that fell through the cracks.
Step 5 - My in-betweens are the household chores, laundry and cleaning, meal-prepping, grocery/Walmart runs.
Step 1: work, tasks need to care for my family
ReplyDeleteStep 2: husband, kids, family, exercise, self-care, faith
Step 3: after work self-care, after supper time for spouse/kids, side hustle after kids go to bed, date night once a week with spouse, go to church on Sunday
Step 4: On weekends flex-time
Step 5: cleaning, sleep, meal prep/eating, errands
Step 5:
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDelete1. Work 8-4 M-F, driving to kids activites Monday evening, Tuesday evening and Friday evening.
2. Quality time with kids/husband, exercise, self- care (reading/downtime)
3. Schedule time for exercise before getting ready for work or directly after school, time with kids after that/in the evening, 1-2 nights a week set aside with husband for date or TV watching together, down time on weekends or in the evening.
4. Flex time during open blocks on weekdays/weekends.
5. Cleaning/housework/home improvement projects
1. Non-flexibles: Work 7:00-4:00 Monday-Friday, rehearsal after school Monday
ReplyDelete2. Top priorities: Events with friends and family, going to the gym on free evenings
3. Schedule a time to see friends and have it on the calendar, sign up for gym classes early to hold the commitment, set an alarm so I don't stay at school any later than I need to.
4. Protect my free time. I don't need to fill my weekends with seeing other people or going out. Use this time to get housework done or rest.
5. In-betweens: Reading, cleaning, groceries, shopping, laundry.
1. Non flexible - contractual work hours / responsibilities (limiting my work to these hours and responsiblities is step 1 to make more time for the next steps)
ReplyDelete2. Top priorities - time with family (both close and far), time for my own health (a new journey), spiritual well-being, finding/building new skills and hobbies.
3. Changing my mindset to allow my wants, needs, etc. to be a priority; learning to be okay with doing things by myself.
4. See number 1 - limiting my work responsibilities to just those hours and protecting the rest of my time for non-flexible priorities.
5. In-betweens: groceries, laundry, errands, cleaning, etc.
3.
1. Non-flexible: Contractual work hours from 7:45-3:45.
ReplyDelete2. Top priorities: daily walk; time with my kids; time with my husband; time to read for enjoyment; time to talk to my mom on the phone
3. If I were to make time for my priorities, that would look like a minimum 30 minute walk after school, some dedicated time to spend with my kids in free moments around their nightly activities, time to talk/reconnect with my husband after supper, a phone conversation with my mom, and 20-30 minutes of reading before bed. I believe I would feel more fulfilled, more connected, and less stressed. I would also feel like I have a better work/life balance and more energy to then devote to work while I'm at work.
4. Unallocated time: My priorities will make up my hours spent between 3:45 and bedtime. If I have time left over and schoolwork to do, then that can be fit in. It is not, however, my daily priority.
5. In-betweens: laundry, housework, meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, errands. I will squeeze these tasks in after my priorities have been taken care of.
1. Non-flexible: work M-F from 8am-4pm and drive kids to activities Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and attend sport events Saturday and Sunday.
ReplyDelete2. Spend quality time with my kids and husband, exercise, time for myself like reading.
3. Prioritizing going to bed earlier so that I wake up on time to exercise, schedule time with friends, actually go on a date with my husband.
4. Flex time for family, mostly on weekends.
5. Laundry, cleaning, meal planning/prepping, grocery shopping, errands, organize my families schedules
I love the idea of creating a calendar while considering the following:
ReplyDelete--Nonflexibles: Work 7:30-4 each week day, ensuring my son is where he needs to be after school
--Top priorities: Quality time with family (undivided attention on this), exercise (30 min/day, 4 days/week), connecting with spiritual life (church, medication, prayer)
--More time for the following priorities: quality time with friends, reading for learning and for pleasure, listening to podcasts, quality sleep
--Unallocated time: more self-care--long bath, calling a friend, sitting on the deck
--In betweens: cleaning, meal prep, errands, extra teaching "stuff"
Non-flexible: work M-F plus commute-
ReplyDeleteTop Priorities: Husband, Kids
More time for -Reading and exercising, meeting up with friends.
Unallocated time: watching a favorite show, self-care activities, flex time on the weekends.
In betweens- ALL THE CHORES. Do what needs to be done. The rest can wait.
I have started to make sure one chore gets done during those in between times but taking the pressure off of doing all the tasks at once.
1. Non-flexible: work M-F from 7:45-4:00, drive daughter to daycare on Wednesday mornings and to soccer on Thursday afternoons.
ReplyDelete2. Family time with husband and daughter, exercise classes, relaxation time for myself (yoga/baths/reading/gardening)
3. Prioritize time for getting lessons planned and grading done so I'm not staying late and skipping my gym classes. Consider waking up earlier to get my yoga in before others wake up.
4. Flex time in evenings and weekends
5. Meal prep, housework, errands, etc.
*I put a quote from this book on the whiteboard on my fridge. "Don't wait until everything is done to rest, allow yourself to rest so that everything can get done." This has allowed me to not feel pressured to press through and do chores during my daughter's afternoon nap. Instead, I take a rest first and then decide what actually needs to be accomplished afterwards.
1. work M-F
ReplyDelete2. exercise
3. carving out time in schedule - making it a non-negotiable, making it an appointment on calendar will make it less likely to "skip"
4. give up time watching tv/social media to make exercise more a priority
5. household tasks - clean, laundry, meal prep
I also like the concept of breaking things down into 15 minute increments - cleaning, folding laundry etc. It helps me to just think of it in smaller increments to not make it seem as overwhelming and makes me feel good once the item is actually accomplished.
1. Non-Flexible: work M-F, bring my kids to all their activities
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: Family: Husband & Kids, Exercise at least 30 mins a day
3. More Time For: Quality sleep, spending time with friends, outdoor activities
4. Unallocated Time: more self care, flex time on the weekends
5. In Betweens- Household chores-cleaning, laundry, etc. , errands
This list is what I want for my next chapter in retirement, which is this month.
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Evenings with my Mom (Wellness Checkin)
Ranch work
Step 2: Husband Time, House Time, Fitness and my children
Step 3: Dinner with my husband nightly, FaceTime with my kids
Step 4: Family Weekends
Step 5: Grocery Shopping, Cleaning , and reading
1. Non-flexibles: work schedule and church on Sundays
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: family, self-care time (exercise), course work
3. Most of those priorities: Meal Prep, clean house, using prep time to lesson plan and correct so I bring nothing home
4. Unallocated time: relaxing
5. In-betweens: gardening, laundry, social media
Aligning my life with my priorities:
ReplyDelete1. Work Contractual Hours
2. Spouse, Kids, Health
3. 30 min of no screens with spouse after kids go to bed, 10 min special time with both kids daily, something health related each day (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual)
4. Most of these would happen before kids go to bed and after bedtime. Meditation could be before kids wake up...
5. In-betweens: sleep, meal prep, housework, errands...weekends
1. Non-Flexible
ReplyDeleteFor me, this would be work and family time.
2. Top Priorities
Self-care, house chores/projects, meal prep
3. What would life look like
Work is only during the contracted hours, I would no longer be a coach; family time happens everyday whether it's a board game, chit-chat, a walk/bike ride, a movie night, etc; I would have a few hours each weekend to prep meals for the week; I would have time each day to have at least 30 minutes of exercise; and at least an hour or so each day to house chores/projects.
4. Unallocated Time
Most of this would happen before work (exercise) and right at 3:45. I could play with the kids and husband prior to starting supper or have a meal in the crock pot. They kids could help with chores. Family time would end when it's time for the kids to go to bed, which would leave time for my husband and I to destress from the day together.
5. In-betweens
In-between the kids playing with my husband and me, I could create a grocery cart, plan a birthday, write a letter, journal, or do any hobby activity.
1. Non-flexible: Work hours, extra duty hours
ReplyDelete2. Top priorities: family time, self-care, workouts, reading and hobbies
3. Life would look like... less screen time (phone/ laptop), still making it to all of my kids' activities, more time for weekend family adventures or for one-on-one time, waking up without hitting snooze to get a workout done, reading and hobbies after kids' bedtime and on weekend
4. I problem solved workouts in #3, more family time could be had by including the kids in preparing meals and helping with chores, eating supper earlier to leave time for a board game or chit chat, showers, and an early enough bedtime to leave an hour or so for reading/ hobbies for me. Limit weekend commitments to leave time for family.
5. In-betweens: Setting up grocery pick-up, work on school stuff, run errands, sleep, catch up on shows...
Step 1. NF Work and church
ReplyDeleteStep 2. Be recertified(work)/ regular weekly attendance(church)/ Daily physical activity(health)/ visiting time with grandkids (family)
Step 3. I would have more peace with my life if I didn't have to work two jobs to get by. This would give me several hours each week to put towards step 2.
Step 4. I do and plan to continue to use my drivetime to work to listen to podcasts or sermons I find help me the most. It promotes good self-care for me. I would also like to begin a better bedtime routine and ditch the devices earlier.
Step 5. My house hold consists of one so keeping up with daily or weekly tasks doesn't pose much of a problem. I try to keep to my list for those weekly/monthly activities. The benefit of living in a small community is running errands does not take long.
1 - Non-flexibles- work
ReplyDelete2 - Kids, marriage, my self care/health goals, reading, reconnecting with God and the Bible
3 - No work on weekends, only family and personal time. Working out more consistently and regularly, especially on weekends. Reading daily, even if it's just 10 minutes. Less snooze buttons.
4 - Having kids help more with chores to eliminate me doing all of it and taking more time instead of everyone helping and taking less time. Better meal plan consistency so busy weekdays are not left scrambling and prepping meals. Waking up 10 minutes earlier so I'm not rushed, maybe use that time to meditate or read to set the tone for the day. Limit weekend commitments, even if that means limiting extended family time.
5 - Focused meal prep time, not "willy nilly." Arrange more grocery drop-offs to save me time going to get things. Combine errands into one trip and get it all done instead of random runs throughout the week. Housework - having kids help.
*Miranda Fox*
DeleteChapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDelete1: non-flexibles-- school pick up/drop off, medical appointments
2: exercise, quality time with spouse, more meaningful activities with kids, devotions
3: I would feel better physically and mentally with committing to daily exercise. I feel I would do a better job everyday after spending at least 5-10 minutes doing a devotional. My kids would spend less time fighting and more time enjoying each other if I took the time to set up more activities for them.
4: I can get up a little bit earlier and get my exercise in for the day. My spouse and I can quickly clean up the house together after the kids go to bed and that would give us longer time in the evenings. During our time each evening we would be phone/distraction free. My kids and I can enjoy more meaningful activities together when I am not focused on what needs to be done around the house.
5: Continue meal planning and grocery pick ups on Sunday so we can be ready for the new week. Include my kiddos on what we would like to do together for some activities. Be more proactive at going to bed at a decent time each night and not staying up late all the time.
Before I got to the list of the 5 steps, I took some time to start processing the 3 questions listed at the start of Chapter 7: “How do I want to be spending my time?”, “What do I want to accomplish in my life?” and “What kind of legacy do I want to leave?” It was a little bit of a struggle for me to clearly articulate what I want to accomplish and what kind of legacy I want to leave but it was easy for me to identify how I want to be spending my time. I want to spend time with my kids without being too worn out from everything else in life to actually enjoy my time with them. My oldest just turned 9 and I have twin boys that will turn 4 in a couple of days so I am in my prime window for making connections and memories with my kids before they start to become more independent.
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Identify your non-flexibles
- Work hours
- Teeball and Softball
- Church
Step 2: List your top priorities that you want to uncover more time for
- Active and engaged time with my kids
- “Date” or independent time with my wife
- Trips to visit extended family and creates memories with grandparents and cousins
Step 3: Specify what life would look like if you prioritized these things
- I think if I can successfully prioritize these things, it will simplify my life extremely. I hope it will help me slow down and be more present in the moment instead of worrying about what needs to get done with other things or in the future.
Step 4: Add top priorities to the unallocated time in your schedule
- My oldest daughter gets up early each morning. This summer, I want to be more intentional about maximizing that time before her younger siblings
Step 5: Identify the in-betweens and add them to your schedule
- Connecting with family friends
- Yardwork (enjoy mowing and gardening but want it to remain that way instead of turning into a chore)
Step 1: Non-flexibles: work and commute 7:30am-4:30pm; church
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Top priorities that you want to uncover more time for: spouse (date night once a week), kids (weekend trips), exercise and self care (at least 3 times a week), reading (at least 15 minutes each day), friends/volleyball (1 night a week)
Step 3: Specify what life would look like if you prioritized these things: I think my life would seem less chaotic and more organized with a purpose. I would be focusing my energy on the things that are the most important to me.
Step 4: Top priorities to the unallocated time: Get up a little earlier each morning to have time to read or just focus on myself; be more intentional with my prep time at school so planning and correcting can be done at school; leave school at a set time each day so that I have time to exercise before supper each day; have my family help with cleaning, laundry and preparing meals so that we are still getting the tasks done, yet spending time together visiting and just being together; leave nights and weekends specifically for my family,
Step 5: In-betweens: sleep, housework (everyone helps a little each day so it isn't a huge task for the weekend), school planning (spend planning time focused on getting a little done each day so I don't need nights or weekends to get caught up), errands/grocery shopping (once a week-maybe send in for pick-up), meal plan/prep (get meals ready for the week),
1. Non-flexibles: work schedule and kids activities
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: family time and exercise
3. Specify what life would look like if you prioritized these things: Work later on certain days of the week to stay caught up, exercise right after work to have time for meal prep and supper with family, and enjoy family time after supper before bedtime
4. Unallocated time: less time on devices, kids help with chores more, kids do homework while I stay later to get my work done, so it frees up our time to have a self-care break
5. In-betweens: housework, grocery shopping, planning and creating time,...
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDelete1) Non-flexibles: work schedule, coaching, attending kids' activities, doctor appointments
2)Top Priorities: church/prayer and family
3)Specify what life would be like if you rescheduled and prioritized these things: I already dedicate each Sunday morning for church and do say daily prayers - yet ideally I would like to combine more bible study/devotionals with my daily workouts - so physical and mental strengthening each day. I think planning to stay at work late (Thursday or Friday) to plan to the upcoming week is on my list. This way I can leave work and be a complete mom/wife for the weekend! It will also help me refresh and restore my mind and well-being for another week of busy!
4)Unallocated time: I do not have much for social media, yet do scroll on TPT, pininterest, and instragram some - so lessening my weekend minutes would be beneficial. The kids are pretty good at helping with supper, dishes, etc. but I may do a schedule so that they have a dedicated chore schedule so they and I are more organized with getting things done/staying on top of our game. I also want to meal plan/prep better each week, dedicating a certain day for leftovers - that may be the day I work late and get my weekly planning done. Lastly, allotting some time each day for myself (10-15 minutes) for well- being.
5)In-betweens: housework, meal-planning, groceries, reorganizing things in pantry/refrigerator/bathrooms/school/etc.
Step 1 – Work, kid’s activities
ReplyDeleteStep 2 – Kids, spouse, church, exercise
Step 3 – Time for kids, date nights
Step 4 – Self-Care/improvement, relaxation time
Step 5 – Sleep, meal prep, groceries, laundry/cleaning
Step 1: work expectations and kid's activities
ReplyDeleteStep 2: family time, spiritual growth, exercise
Step 3: Time with each family member alone and together; Bible study time every day; exercise time at least 3x per week
Step 4: self-care activities about 15 minutes a day
Step 5: sleep, meal planning, housework, school work, errands
#1 my kids and spouse ( I am lucky enough to be self-employed so my time is mine and I am able to move things around as needed)
ReplyDelete#2 my spiritual and mental health (making it a priority)
#3 making sure the time spent together is quality time and not just "time"
#4 identify when time alone is needed and following through with it
#5 the behind the scenes things; laundry, menu planning etc.
1. Drive (7:00-7:30), Work (7:30-3:30), Coach (3:30-5:00), Drive (5:00-5:30)
ReplyDelete2. kids, grandkids, spiritual growth, wellness
3. make calls at least once a week to kids/grandkids, set aside time each day for devotions, go to pool 3 days per week
4. finish work at school, use prep period more constructively, less device time
5. help wife meal plan so we don't pick up take-out as often
1. Nonflexibles - Doing my job well during the time I'm there - but also being present for my husband and son after school.
ReplyDelete2. Create more time - Husband, son, hobbies
3. What life would look like - In my first year of marriage, home life and school life have already looked different. I want to continue to have meaningful time with my husband and my son.
4. After school time = "us time". I don't bring school work home - unless absolutely necessary (looming quarter grade deadline, haha!). Staying at school an extra hour if necessary to meet this goal.
5. In-betweens - House work, meal prep, etc. after school/on weekends.
1. Nonflexible: work from 7:45-3:45 Monday through Friday during the school year.
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: Attend kids activities and time spent with family and friends.
3. What would life look like? Life would be a lot more organized and run smoothly if I stuck to the priorities in my life.
4. Unallocated Time: cleaning, cooking, running errands, hobbies, home improvement....
5. In-betweens: self-care (exercise, getting nails done, hair...)
Step 1: Non-flexibles: Work from 8:00-4:00 every day
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Top Priorities: Spending time with my boys, spending more time in my relationship, Checking in with my friends
Step 3: What would life look like: Too often I get home from work and don't want to do anything. If I prioritize my step 2, then I will have better, healthier relationships with my boys, boyfriend, and best friends. It will give me a sense of calm and happiness.
Step 4: Top priorities to unallocated time: Cooking supper every night, laundry, cleaning, yard work, attending dance competitions on the weekends.
Step 5: In-betweens: grocery shopping, appointments to help with my migraines, running errands, self-care.
Step #1: Non-flexibles: work 7:30-4:00 daily, church on Sunday mornings
ReplyDeleteStep #2: Top priorities: family time, Bible study/devotional time, exercising, preparing/eating healthy meals
Step #3: What life would look like: leaving school on time so I am able to use the time for my top priorities, daily Bible reading/devotions, exercising 5-6 days per week, getting enough sleep
Step #4: Add top priorities: getting 7-8 hours of sleep, time with friends, reading, sewing, self care, volunteering
Step#5: Identify the in-betweens: errands, grocery shopping, meal prep, housework, organizing
Step 1: work hours during the school year, recurring appointments/activities, summer classes/training
ReplyDeleteStep 2: husband, kids, exercise, reading
Step 3: regular date night with husband, no grading at home, attending kids’ events, pool time during the summer
Step 4: flex time/priority time – when possible, one-on-one time with individual kids
Step 5: sleep, meal prep, housework, errands
I already know that three of the hardest things for me are getting enough sleep, setting aside regular date nights with my husband, and setting aside one-on-one time with each of my four sons. We manage to squeeze in a lot of family time, though, with regular family walks or outings to the pool now that it’s summer.
Sorry, I didn't realize I had been signed out. The above comment is from me!
DeleteStep 1: Work M-Th 7:30-4:00, Church Sunday 11-12:15
ReplyDeleteStep 2: God, Husband, 3 kids
Step 3: date night, set aside time for devotion, being present with my kids (bike riding, parks, reading, etc)
Step 4: Flex time- cooking, yardwork, special time with each kiddo
Step 5: sleep, housework, errands
1. Non-flexibles: Daycare drop off M-Th (7:00-7:15) driving to work M-Th (7:15-7:30) work schedule M-Th (7:30-4:00), Daycare pick up M-Th 4:45-5:00. Church Sunday 11:00-12:00
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: children, husband, animals
3. Most of those priorities: Meal prep, not bringing schoolwork home - work later on days my husband is in town and can pick up the kids. Get up right when my alarm goes off, so I am not rushing in the mornings. Date night with my husband once a month. Walk in the evenings with the entire family (including pets).
4. Unallocated time: meal plan for week, me time, flex time
5. In-betweens: laundry (washing and folding), grocery shopping, sleep, errands, housework.
1. Non-flexibles: Work, Monday-Thursday 7:30 - 3:30, appointments, summer job work hours
ReplyDelete2. Boyfriend, exercise, projects around the house, meal prep
3. Going on a vacation every now and then, making myself set time aside either early in the morning before work or after work to exercise, making a list and getting the list done, and meal prepping on Sunday's
4. Regular date night/time spent with my boyfriend is one of the most important things to me for the unallocated time.
5. In-betweens - errands, self-care, shopping
1 Non-Flexibles- work, church/prayer
ReplyDelete2 Top Priorities - Husband and kids, self care, photography
3 - date night with husband, special events/dates with kids
4 - schedule dates in advance to allocate time and stay committed to the schedule
5 In Betweens - meal prep, volunteer work, errands
1: Non-Flexibles: Teaching M-F, Sunday morning church
ReplyDelete2: Top Priorities: Immediate family, extended family, 2nd job, hospitality, hobbies
3: Life with Priorities: evenings with hubby (no work), lunches with M and M, scheduled time for 2nd job, scheduled reading/crafting time
4: Schedule 2 days/week afternoons for 2nd job, one day a week for M and M, time each day for reading
5: In-betweens: meal planning, housework, shopping, sleep, shopping for fun
It was interesting for me to read this section, and helpful to be reminded that planning and prioritizing is something that can be really, really hard for some people. My husband and I are polar opposites in this regard, and it's taken us almost 30 years to adapt our own personal planning styles to each other's, to work with them instead of fighting them.
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were younger, I would schedule in "play with kids" or "puzzle time with Audrey". I would schedule dates once a month, then once a quarter, with each kids. It helps that I'm a natural (some would say obesessive) planner. I'm sure it's part of how I maintain a sense of control and calm in my life. If I'm stressed, I sit down at my kitchen counter early in the morning or late at night, and re-plan my week. Helps me immensely.
So back to the original question:
1. Non-flexibles would be my teaching and my family (my kids and my husband).
2.Top Priorities: time with kids and extended family (parents, nieces, nephews), planning, regular family meals and games, community/church obligations, excercise.
3. Specify: This summer, with three adult-ish kids living at home with wildly varying schedules, we set aside Wednesday evenings as "Family Cooking and Game Night". They asked work off, we plan a fun meal everyone's excited about, we all help cook and clean up. It's allowed me to get the family time I really want and need, allowed them freedom in the rest of their schedules, and freed me from anxiously working the calendar all week trying to get us together.
4. Added priorities: I've forced myself / allowed myself time for daily excercise this summer. It's been very hard to convince myself each day that I'm allowed to spend time on myself, but I'm working on it.
5. In betweens: house work, yard, laundry, errands, and life's little annoyances.
1. Non-flexibles: teaching Monday-Friday
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: family, friends, boyfriend, working out, relaxation time
3. Life with priorities: weekly date nights, weekend outings with friends and family, nightly time to relax
4. Added priorities: I am trying to work out every day, so that is something that I added into my schedule.
5. In-betweens: making dinner, laundry, cleaning
1. Non-Flexibles: This one is hard for me right now, being a stay at home Mom! Upon some reflection, some non-flexibles for me are appointments, music lessons I teach, children's naps and eating meals
ReplyDelete2. Top priorities: faith, family, exercise, healthy eating, time for hobbies, outside time
3. Life with these priorities: date nights, daily prayer time, daily physical activity, family time, cooking/baking our food, gardening, time for hobbies
4. Added top priorities: monthly date night, prayer time in the morning, choosing to spend time on hobbies rather than watching TV in the evenings, exercising 2-3 times per week
5. In-betweens: housework, errands, making meals
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteNon-flexibles: Teaching Monday-Friday and commuting to work
Top Priorities: Spouse, family, friends, relaxation time, hobbies
Life with Priorities: Phone call to friends and family, reading a book, going on a date night once a month, painting a picture
Added top priorities: Working out at least 3 times a week, going to church, painting instead of making excuses
In-betweens: housework, errands, making meals and caring for the house.
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Non-Flexibles - Church on Sundays, sometimes Wednesday evenings; Work M-F 7:45-3:45; Commute to Work (20 min. each way)
Step 2: Top Priorities - Husband, Children, Self
Step 3: Life with Priorities - Leave work on time, Less time on TV and Phone, More time making meals and listening, Go in early and be productive
Step 4: Added Top Priorities - Try new recipes, play more games, take a class, call my dad
Step 5: In-betweens - housework, grocery shopping, meal planning/executing, returning phone calls/emails (insurance/medical junk)
Step 1- Non Flexibles- work, kids activities
ReplyDeleteStep 2- Top Priorities- Husband, Family, self care, friends
Step 3- Life with Priorities- Spending the evening with my family, hang out with friends (go for walks with them), reading, working out
Step 4- Added Top Priorities- Quiet time by myself (going for walk without kids- listening to music), doing workout video 5 times/week
Step 5- In Betweens- Cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, yard work
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteAs I get older, I learn more about myself and how I function much better when I have a schedule to follow each day. As a result, my summers have been a struggle for me because I have so much daily freedom. I'm trying to balance having tasks to complete with time for myself because I know how busy things will get for me once school starts up again. I'm also in a new season in life as my kids are growing older--one out of the house and one close to it--this has made me take a look at my priorities and shift accordingly.
Reading through these chapters made me realize I do a pretty good job of scheduling during the school year. I have learned to let some things go and prioritize. I need to work on the summer time schedule, and I've realized I need to work on identifying my why and what.
Step 1: non-flexibles: Sunday church, daily devotional time
Step 2: top priorities: family meals, writing, physical time
Step 3: what life would look like: morning walks with the dogs followed by writing (The only way I could accomplish this would be to leave my phone put down.) Evening family dinner.
Step 4: add top priorities: not hitting snooze on my alarm, setting aside quiet time to focus on writing, meal planning and prep
Step 5: identify the in-betweens: choose a daily task (extra) to accomplish at the house, allot a certain amount of time for upkeep and maintenance of house things... LET THE REST GO or ask the boys to help.
Step 1- non-flexibles: Teaching Monday-Friday
ReplyDeleteStep 2- top priorities: Wife, children, exercise, hobbies/relaxation
Step 3- what life would look like: Weekly date night, helping with dinner preparation, attending kids activities, game night with family once a week, walking for exercise 5 times/week, playing guitar, time for reading
Step 4- adding top priorities to my schedule: date night could be added to a specific weekend night, helping with dinner every night, family game night one weekday night, exercise daily in the early morning before work, reading before going to bed
Step 5- Identify the in-betweens: sleep, housework, yard-work, grocery shopping and other errands
Step One: Non-Flexibles (teaching, coaching, church)
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Family, Work Outs, Devotions
Step 3: Monday-Friday 7:30-3:40 Work, 3:40-6:30 Coaching Duties, 6:30-8:30 Supper/Family Time, 8:30 Work Out, 9:30 Devotional Me Time
Step 4: oops, I included in that in my complete schedule in Step 3
Step 5: Housework, school work, grocery shopping, assisting with family business, care taker for my dad (these would have to be reserved for the weekends...I could add my dad to our family time but then it takes away time from husband and kids)
1. Work, church, swimming lessons
ReplyDelete2. family time (husband and children), me time whether that is reading or exercising, hobbies
3. Sunday Church at 9:00, M-F 7:30-4:00 work, swimming lessons Th at 6:00-6:30
4. Saturday family day, every night ALMOST family dinner 5:30-7, date night every couple of weeks
5. Meal prep, clean the house, dishes, errands, shop, seeing grandparents, fun activities with kids, sit and relax as a family and watch a movie, oh and sleep
1. Church, Work
ReplyDelete2. Husband, 3 sons, (family time in general), 3 sons' activities, bible journaling/devotions, self-care time (walk, a show, reading)
3. Sunday Church 9:30 music practice, service 10-11am, Monday-Friday 7:30-4:00 work, 4-5:30 (me time - walk, read, etc.), 5:30-6:30 supper/prep, 2 nights per week (days vary) kids' activities
4. date night monthly or bi-weekly could be added, local hikes to get out of normal walking path, I'd like to add exercise BEFORE school
5. food/meal preparation (including grocery shopping, thank goodness for online shopping options), cleaning house, yardwork, errands, sleep
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteI will complete this with the school year in mind since many of the non-flexibles take a break during the summer.
Step 1: Non-flexibles: Work required hours (7:30-4:00 each weekday), work commute (total of 15 min/weekday), handbells rehearsal (Thurs 5:30-6:30), church (Sun 9:45-10:45; once a month 8:00-10:45), Girl Scout meetings (Sundays, alternating 4:00-5:00 and 3:00-4:30), daughter's weekly appt (Mon 4:00-5:00, +50 min total driving time), church committee meeting (6:30-7:30, one Monday a month)
Step 2: Top Priorities: husband, daughters, reading, extended family, self-care/exercise
Step 3: Specific priorities: family time (6:30-8:30 PM nightly, also Saturday afternoons and evenings), husband time (maybe a Saturday afternoon/evening date once a month? Would depend on babysitter/grandparents' schedules), "me" time (8:30-9:30 PM nightly, for reading, self-care/exercise)), extended family time (11:00-2:00 on Sundays)
Step 4: Add top priorities into calendar: I did this on paper putting the times from step 1 in red and the times from step 3 in green. I really liked the idea of the "flex time", which could be added in from 9:30-10:00 PM nightly to be used to school work (only if needed) or to continue "me" time.
Step 5: In-betweens: sleep, housework (dishes, laundry, vacuuming, etc.), eating/making meals, school work, various other errands as they arise
ReplyDeleteStep 1 – work obligations, meetings, church
Step 2 – children, grandchildren, spend time with my husband
Step 3 – more family time, volunteering, special events
Step 4 – self-care
Step 5 – cleaning, projects, groceries, laundry
Step 1: Non-flexibles - school hours, after school practices, games/meets
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Top priorities - visiting with family and friends, self-care time
Step 3: Prioritizing top priorities - phone conversations with family or friends
Step 4: Added top priorities - exercising, reading
Step 5: In-betweens - sleep, house work, errands
Non-flexibles: 7:45-4:00 school
ReplyDeleteTop Priorities: time with kids, husband, extended family, exercise, 8 hours of sleep, time by myself outside, church
What would life look like if I did this?
waking up early to work out, being peaceful, eating together, date nights
Adding top priorities: waking up early for me time, date time, family activity time
Identifying in-betweens: housework, errands, appointments, cooking
Step 1 - non-flexibles - church on Sunday, work hours
ReplyDeleteStep 2 - Top priorities - God, family, friend, my health
Step 3 - What would it look like - daily devotions, supper with hubby, once a week meal with extended family, once a week outing with friends, daily exercise and adequate sleep,
Step 4 - put these on the calendar - this would be an every week process
Step 5- In-betweens - meal planning, shopping, prep, laundry, housework, usually Saturday mornings set aside for this.
How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteNon-Flexibles: school 7:45-4, church
Top Priorities: family, my health
What Life would look like: Outside time after work, family meals together, bedtime routine, quality time with husband
Adding Specific Priorities: Dates with my husband, seeing both of our families
Identifying In-Betweens: Grocery shopping, meal prepping, laundry, household chores (inside and outside)
Step 1: Work schedule, nursing/pumping
ReplyDeleteStep 2: time with husband and kids, slow mornings (up before kids), self-care
Step 3: putting phone away for a few hours at night to prioritize time with husband and kids, setting an alarm and not hitting snooze to be able to enjoy hot coffee without interruptions, set aside 30 minutes at night after kids go to bed for bath, painting nails, conditioning hair, etc.
Step 4: activities with kids, date night, reading
Step 5: housework (laundry, pick up, meal prepping), sleep, errands
ReplyDeleteI want to spend my time on more things that bring me joy, whether that is family time, time in nature, or other things. I want to finish my career (will start my 26th year in the fall) with passion and energy for the job, and I want to be present with family- really present in the moments that I can’t get back. In my career, I hope my legacy is one where students felt that I cared for them & accepted them in one of the tumultuous times in their young lives (early adolescence) as I worked to build their academic skills but also helped guide them to be good human beings. In my personal life, I hope my legacy is that I loved my family ferociously and did my best to make them always feel that love no matter what. I want my family to remember me as a kind, giving, faithful mom/wife that believes in second chances and giving grace to ourselves and others. My current season of life is working full-time as an empty nester with my husband (my two adult kids will be seniors in college in the fall). There is so much more in life to experience and enjoy, and I want to make sure I set priorities that will allow me to enjoy this season of life and the next (travel, grandkids, weddings, etc.)
Step 1: (non-flexibles) 10 minute work commute, contract time 7:45-3:45pm Mon-Fri
Step 2: (top priorities) time with spouse, exercise/movement, self-care, visiting with adult children, church service
Step 3: (if I prioritized these things) getting up a bit earlier/going to bed earlier, leaving work on time, avoiding screen time as time-killer, setting a date night each week, Sunday mornings at church, scheduling regular self-care time, less time spent chatting after school with colleagues
Step 4: (add top priorities to schedule) before work/after work
Step 5: (identify in-betweens) sleep, housework-make a cleaning schedule or to do list, errands/grocery shopping, yard work
I really found the question set the author provides on p. 170 to be impactful:
*Does it really need to be done?
*Does it really need to be done by me?
*Does it really need to be done by me right now?
*Does it really need to be done to the full extent by me right now?
I really enjoy your post!!
DeleteStep 1- my non-flexible is contracted work 7:45-3:45 Monday-Friday
ReplyDeleteStep 2- my top priorities are my husband, my kids, exercise, time with God in no particular order
Step 3- sleep, spending less time mindlessly scrolling on my phone, intentionally setting quality time to spend with my husband and kids, reaching out to friends, my health
Step 4- my biggest added priority I would like to focus on is finding set time to sit down and relax (not on my phone or watching tv)
Step 5- my in betweens are housework, laundry, cooking meals, meal prepping, helping my kids with homework, mowing, watering flowers, running kids to their activities
Step 1 Non-flexibles- work, commute, coaching, church
ReplyDeleteStep 2 top priorities- family kids/husband, exercise
Step 3 look like? I like the idea of a date night but my husband is busier than I am so date night be spending time in the shop, I also need to delegate more chore responsibilities to my kids.
Step 4 Add top priorities- I need to set aside time at night during the school year to just be with my kids, play a game, talk, etc. put down my phone or papers I’m correcting. My oldest only has 2 years left at home and I want to make the most of it.
Step 5 housework- I need to remember that housework is a cycle not something that is done!
Step 1) Work and commute 7-4:45. I used to leave at 6:50 because I felt it made me a better teacher, but I have found that I enjoy the extra 10 minutes drinking coffee with my husband more peaceful and a better start to my day
ReplyDeleteStep 2) I hate to copy the book, but her list is on point--spouse, kids, exercise, and hobby.
Step 3) It turns out that taking care of one's physical and mental health takes work and time. This summer I have been faithful to exercise regularly. In the past, I haven't been able to keep up this routine once school started.
Step 4) I am committing to working out on Monday and Wednesday after work and on Friday along with daily walks with my husband and dogs.
Step 5) Having Fridays off gives me a great opportunity to do laundry and groceries. I am making plans to meet with a friend two Fridays a month to work on photo albums.
While reading this section I realized that I had already done some of this prioritization naturally after years of feeling overwhelmed. There is still more I could do, as before reading this section I had never really considered mapping all of the time out or scheduling flex or priority time into my day. I have already set some boundaries to limit the way inflexible work tasks can creep into my day. I try to match up less flexible work items that need to be taken care of outside of the school day to times that my son is also busy. I set ground rules at home about how many activities my son can participate in (he can commit to one at a time -- it still keeps us plenty busy, but I am not spending unreasonable amounts of time trying to balance all of his activities in addition to my own schedule). In addition to the benefits for me not having to spend hours every week getting my son to and from a long list of activities, the result has been that my son has learned to prioritize the activities that he enjoys the most, he sees them as a true commitment, and he isn't struggling with being over scheduled and over stressed the way I see many of my students struggling.
ReplyDelete1. Identify non flexibles: work and work trainings and meetings, coaching
ReplyDelete2. Areas you want to prioritize: family, church, mindset
3. Top Priorities Ordered: morning or evening walk, weekly family meal (kids coming home), inspirational reading (motivational/self-help/mindset)
4. Unallocate Priority TIme: granddaughter time, hobbies-scrapbooking, sewing, cross-stitch
5. Everything Else: household tasks- cleaning, laundry, yard work, batch cooking
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteIdentify your non flexibles
-Contracted work time
-Errands/Appointments/House Duties
-Commute time
-Kids activities
List your top priorities that you want to uncover more time for
-Exercise
-Dinner planning/prep
Specify what life would look like if you prioritize these things
-Getting up earlier
-Going to bed earlier
-No work on weekends
Add top priorities to the unallocated time in your schedule
-Early mornings before 6
Identify the in-betweens and add them to your schedule
-Sleep
-Laundry
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDelete1. Non-Flexibles: Commute to work, contracted work hours, church
2. Top Priorities: Relationships (husband, family, friends), Self-care, house renovations
3. This looks like: Weekly date night with my husband, working out, incorporate self-care , one evening designated a week for house projects so we don't feel like we are giving up weekends.
4. Unallocated priorities: Getting to school a little earlier to decrease work load for the weekend. 10 minute self-care before a menial task or errand.
5. In between: Sleep, laundry, housework
Identify your non flexibles
ReplyDelete-Contracted work hours
-Drive to and from work
List your top priorities that you want to uncover more time for
-Exercise/self care
-Family Time
-Yoga business
Specify what life would look like if you prioritize these things
-Going to bed earlier
-Family dinners at the table
-Saying yes to playing video games with my son
-Saying no to other activities
Add top priorities to the unallocated time in your schedule
-Sewing/crafting (is therapeutic /self care to me)
Identify the in-betweens and add them to your schedule
-Sleep
-Cleaning house/laundry
1. Non-Flexible- church, work, commute time
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities- family at home, family trips, self care, exercise
3. Top Priorities Ordered - Wake up at 5:15 and exercise, ENJOY my morning with my daughter and not feel rushed, school from 7:15-4:30, enjoy my night with family
4. Unallocated Priority Time- my family is my priority, so any extra is for them.
5. Everything else- cleaning, laundry, groceries.
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7?
ReplyDeletestep 1- Non-Flexibles: teaching contract time, coaching responsibilities
step 2 - Top Priorities: Church Wednesday and Sunday, dedicated time with my wife, exercise
step 3 - Visiting my parents, supper with my grown children, time with close friends, attending school events, yard work
step 4 - stay of top of our budget
step 5 - housework, errands, meal prep, serving others
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Non-flexibles: church, contract time, coaching responsibilities
Step 2: Top Priorities: faith, husband, kiddos
Step 3: Top Priorities Ordered: Wake up and be ready before my kiddos, do not feel rushed in the morning or throughout the day, make supper, clean the kitchen before bed, read before bed to relax and unwind, enjoy the evening with my family, visiting with family, go to the park/spend time outside with my boys
Step 4: Unallocated Priority Time: Any extra time is for my husband and my boys.
Step 5: Cleaning, groceries, meal prep/plan, laundry
I really enjoyed these chapters about setting the schedule and finding efficient routines that work. I really feel that this is something that I started doing this summer. The more routines and procedures that I have in place, the better that I feel mentally and physically.
This would be a great activity to complete with my colleagues. I feel this would really allow you to get to know everyone you work with on a deeper level. I think this would also allow the staff to encourage each other throughout the work day, and more importantly, beyond the work day!
This is something I wish I would've read about 20 years ago. As I read, I noticed that I had gradually started some of the prioritizing more and more throughout my teaching career. I haven't gone through the steps of writing things out, but have worked at being more productive during those 5-15 minute breaks during the work week. I like the idea of writing things down so your mind doesn't have to try to keep recalling them. I've noticed that is a big help to me. I did think it was because I'm getting older. lol I will try writing things down and hope that it helps identify the priorities and then stick to it-most of the time.
ReplyDeleteThese last couple chapters really got me to think and assess where I'm at and what I want my life to be....
ReplyDelete1. Non-flexibles - work, church
2. Top priorities - my family, attending my daughters activities (she's my baby and is a senior so I'm soaking up all the "lasts"), eating healthy, getting exercise
3. Specify what life would look like..... - keeping up with housework, preparing healthy meals, exercising several times a week, spending time with family and visiting friends
4. Top Priorities to unallocated time - don't push off exercise - I tend to put that behind other things that can sometimes be done later. I need to keep that as a top priority.
5. In betweens - house and yard work, organizing
Step 1 - Non flexibles - 30 minutes commuting to work, Monday - Thursday contracted hours 7:45-4:00 and Friday 8-1, Sunday church 9:30-11, Daughters Doctors appts
ReplyDeleteStep 2 - Top Priorities - Top priorities are family time (including husband, kids, and mom) self-care, healthy eating, exercise, time with pets
Step 3 - With these priorities taken care of each week, I would feel more relaxed, and centered, have more energy, and have fewer health concerns.
Step 4 - These items I actually am putting in my personal Google Calendar, Top priorities each day listing out exercising, etc until I can get into better habits.
Step 5 again adding the unbetweens to my Google Calendar to see force myself into a better healthier lifestyle habits.volunteering, sleep, housework, grading, housework, errands, laundry
Step 1 (Non-flexibles): Contract hours 8am-3:40pm
ReplyDeleteStep 2 (Top priorities): My Family (husband and kids). Self-care and exercise and getting outside.
Step 3 (Specific on priorities): I'd like to schedule more date nights for me and my husband. I like spending time at home with the kids either playing outside, playing games, or watching movies together. I would like to plan more special vacations with my husband and kids. Self-care involves exercising and being outside (even if it's cold).
Step 4 (Priority Time): Immediately after school is designated for time with my kids until they go to bed. I need to do better at scheduling time in for my husband, we are just so busy. Exercising is also tricky but I could sneak in at least 2 days per week after my husband gets home from work to workout.
Step 5 (In-betweens): Housework & errands are usually prioritized on the weekends when we're home all day and have flexibility with our schedule. Sleep is prioritized from 10pm-7AM (ish) depending on the day.
Step 1-School time 7:30-4:10 Monday-Thursday
ReplyDeleteStep 2-Granddaughter, adult children, husband, self care-time
Step 3-Time every day to spend time with granddaughter. Time to make a meal or be helpful to adult children. Time to talk with husband. Time to do things that are healthy for me.
Step 4-Limit time on phone and social media. Get up 15 minutes earlier to be more organized. Get tasks done in the morning when I have more energy.
Step 5-Use Friday to catch up on all extra errands and needs.
Here are a few things I can put into my daily life for long term goals:
ReplyDelete1. Non-flexibles: work schedule, church family activities.
2. Top Priorities: family, self-care time, exercise.
3. Adding priorities: Meal prep time, no school work at home, scheduled bedtime
4. Unallocated time: meal plan for the week, family time with no distractions
5. In-betweens: laundry, grocery shopping, reading.
1-Non-flexible-contracted work hours
ReplyDelete2-priorities-family, faith
3-added priorities-time with husband, conversations with adult children
4-Limit phone time, declutter, more family meals
5-laundry, house cleaning,
tep 1: Identify your non flexibles: Work hours, church and family
ReplyDeleteStep 2: List your top priorities that you want to uncover more time for: Intentional time with husband, intentional time with kids, Meal prep, and me time
Step 3: Specify what life would look like if you prioritized those things: I order groceries on Friday nights, pick them up Saturday and work on meal prep if we have time at home on Saturday or Sunday. On a weekend when we aren't home we do meals that require no meal prep like chili. Monday nights are usually without events after 7pm so I try to spend from 7-8:30 with the kids once supper is cleaned up. Time with my hubby would be scheduled for date nights every other week ideally but that never happens right now
Step 4: Add top priorities to the unallocated time in your schedule: My top priorities are already in my daily routines/schedule.
Step 5: Identify the in-betweens and add them to your schedule: Any in betweens end up getting housework done or time to read for me if I can
Typical daily routine…..
ReplyDelete1.Identify your non-flexibles: Need to walk the dog, make lunches, and prepare for school, figure out what is for supper, make sure I am ready for the day.
2. List your top priorities: Looking at groceries, errands, visiting parents, attending sport events,….
3. Specify what life would look like it worked: Not much time will be left as this occupies most of it.
4. Add priorities to your unallocated free time: Would love to go shopping or go to a movie?
5. Identify in-betweens and add them to your schedule: Very few can be added. Not enough time.
There simply are not enough hours in the day. If the day goes well, there will be no time left to do anything but the essentials. If there is a surprise during the day, everything gets pushed back a day, forgotten about, or hurried on a late-night grocery trip which eats into the sleep routine. The biggest challenge is learning when to say enough is enough and letting the world spin and take the night off and let the chips land where they may. I am not bitter about this, life has trade-offs. It just has to be put into perspective from time to time.
1. Non-Flexible- teaching and taking care of my kitty
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities- spending time with my mom and nephew, giving my kitty attention as she is VERY needy, self-care, spending time with friends
3. Top Priorities Ordered - self care is what seems to get pushed to the bottom of the list and it's the first to go if other things are more important
4. Unallocated Priority Time-watching my shows, exercising, going to the movies, going out to eat
5. Everything else- cleaning, laundry, getting groceries (ordering when I can to free up time)
Reading these chapters made me realize that I truly can push things off until I have more time to do them. If they don't need to be done NOW-they can wait.
1. Non-Flexibles: Work hours, church
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities: Time with family, kids activities, exercising, self-care
3. What would that look like: Spending time with my husband and kids, preparing healthy meals, exercising daily
4. Adding priorities to unallocated time in schedule: meal prep for the week, limit time on phone and computer, uninterrupted family time
5. Identify the in-betweens: housework, laundry, errands, grocery shopping
I just realized I forgot to change anonymous to my name. Oops!
Delete1. Non-Flexible- work
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities- family
3. Top Priorities Ordered - get my kids to school, get to work on time, pick up my kids and make dinner for everyone, spend family time together or run kids to sports
4. Unallocated Priority Time- weekends are our time with family but most weekends we have the kids sports games. When we have a free weekend we try and divide the time between getting things done at home and doing something fun as a family.
5. Everything else- cleaning, organizing, planning the week, laundry and so on.
1. Non-Flexible : Work, Appointments, and Time Commuting
ReplyDelete2. Top Priorities - Caring for my family and myself
3. Top Priorities Ordered - Getting kids ready and fed, organizing schedules and money, spend quality time with family
4. Unallocated Priority Time - meal plan, go through plans for the week with family, less screen time, intentional time with family
5. In betweens - cleaning, organizing projects, laundry, grocery shopping
Step One: Non Flexibles: Work, Kids Activities
ReplyDeleteStep Two: Top Priorities: Family, Spouse, Wellness
Step Three: Nightly sit down family meals, date night once a month, daily workout, weekly church together
Step 4 Unallocated Priority Time: time with grandparents, doing activities the kids enjoy, spending time as a whole family
Step 5: In-betweens: house hold tasks, cleaning, organizing, grocery shopping/meal planning
**I think when we lay out these 5 steps in accordance with our life it seems "easy" but it comes down to actually sticking to this plan and actually making the change to prioritize the important and let go of the rest that it becomes much harder to do.
1. Work
ReplyDelete2. Family, faith, exercise
3. Less screen time. Scheduling time in my day for prayer, workout and family time.
4. Reading, prepping meals, going for a walk
5. Housework, errands
Chapters 6-8 How can you align daily life with your priorities using the steps listed in Chapter 7? Although this exercise can be extremely personal, please share what you are comfortable doing so about your application of these 5 steps in your own life.
ReplyDelete1. Work, church
2. Family time, Exercise, Self-care, Spanish input
3. No screen time in bed, set up a calling schedule, schedule exercise self-care before supper, and time for Spanish in evening. Read Scripture in Spanish.
4. Meal plan and prep on Saturdays. Exercise everyday.
5. Errands. Household chores.
**I thought it was eye-opening to see her perspective on minutiae. I hadn't admitted how draining those types of things are. She is right though, they end up chopping up time that could be a larger chunk to work on higher priorities. I will bundle these in the future.
Step One: Non Flexibles: work, work meetings, extra curricular Activities on Monday nights (Bowling & volleyball)
ReplyDeleteStep Two: Top Priorities: Family, Spouse, Wellness
Step Three: Sit down meal every night, date nights with spouse, church every Sunday, nightly ritual of reading to my child before bed
Step 4 Unallocated Priority Time: more self care activities for myself, less screen time, prepping for the week ahead
Step 5: In-betweens: house hold tasks, cleaning, organizing, grocery shopping/meal planning
Step 1: Drive to and from work, work, church
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Raising my kids, connecting with spouse, emotional, physical, spiritual wellness
Step 3: Put down the phone, don't over organize, learn to say NO to say YES more often
Step 4: Exercise routines, meal planning, date nights, keep work at work
Step 5: Cleaning, NOT snacking, reading
I love that there is a 'season' for everything-- while my kids are younger, they need me more; in a new school year, I need to learn about the student's needs and may be more focused there; there are times when my house is messier and times when it is cleaner-- that's OK, and grace/flexibility will help.
The five steps in my life are like this: I have always been told by my boss that family comes first.
ReplyDeletestep 1: family and Church--my faith is very important to me.
step 2: family time-spending time with my college age children and my parents. My Mom has been diagnosed with early stages of dementia.
step 3: work--preparing the classroom for the week-changing out toys to keep things exciting
step4: reading and taking care of myself,
step 5: friends
Step 1: Work from 6:45-6:00 and church
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Time with my children, spouses and my husband
Step 3: No school work at home - from lesson planning, emails, posting on Seesaw, looking for craft items, the list goes on...I'd feel less guilty about spending time with family if I did less schoolwork at home - it seems to always take the priority -why?
Step 4: Exercise and really reading and disecting my devotionals
Step 5: Laundry, cleaning, groceries, self-care, friends
Step 1: Work
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Time with my husband, 3 kids, our parents/siblings and families.
Step 3: Supper together as a family, game day Sundays, church on the weekends, daily walks.
Step 4: Reading, being present with my kids, monthly coffee date with my "Sister Squad".
Step 5: Laundry, cleaning, errands.