I need more time!!!!!!!!!
It's been 5 weeks and 1 day since I started my new job and I am loving it. Learning so much and each day something new pops up that makes me learn even more but I am not going to lie.....the commute is killing me! (well that's a slight exaggeration but it's now 8:20pm and I feel like I have only just sat down!). My place of work is approximately 90km from my place of residency and yes this is something that I chose....but for real reasons. One being that I had not long moved and didn't fancy moving again, and because I was only about 3 months into a 6 month lease that I didn't want to break and because there is no guarantee the job will continue past mid December and then I'd be on the move again.... But with the road that I am travelling on each and every day undergoing a major restoration due to flood damage and a heavy traffic load the commute is taking me anywhere between an hour and ten minutes to an hour and forty minutes one way, on average probably about an hour 20, so that's 2 hours 40 a day which is then anywhere between 10 and 15 hours per week that I am losing by sitting in a car! When I start to think about it and put it in those terms it is crazy! I do have a wonderful friend out there that has offered me a bed anytime and I have taken her up on it a few times, guess I should probably do it more often and hope I don't out stay my welcome!
This is putting some real issues around everything else that I am trying to achieve in my life right now and I am struggling to find a balance. I decided to sign up for another round of the 12wbt as I wanted to focus more on my exercise and fitness but a week into it I feel like that is not happening. I am getting up before the sun already and don't think I could function if I got up any earlier. Now that winter is fast approaching I am starting to get home in the dark, especially if, like this afternoon there is a meeting after school. This means that there is no time to do any of those downtown jobs like get to the bank or the post office, and those things are pushed to the side!
This afternoon I was determined to do some exercise so when I finally did arrive home after 6pm I didn't let me bottom hit a seat, got changed straight away and got on my treadmill! It wasn't following my exercise plan from 12wbt but I figured something was better than the alternative... Luckily I had gotten a little organised over the weekend and pre-prepared some meals for the week so I didn't have that to use as an excuse.
I noticed on Monday when I posted my I Must Confess post that it had been 10 days since I had blogged anything...... I hate that when we are so busy it is the things that we enjoy that take the back seat. I started this blog for me and to share my journey but when things get a little cray cray (as the kids are saying these days...apparently) it's one of the first things to go. I constantly feel guilty that I haven't replied to comments and that I haven't shared enough comment love!... My other great hobby love is Scrapbooking and I haven't even done any this year, to be honest I can't even remember the last page I did.....
My weeks get so consumed with work and travel and when I can fit it in, exercise and cooking that come the weekend I am busted! I don't feel like doing anything but again end up running around like a mad chook getting all the things done that I didn't get done during the week and make time to catch up with family and friends as well as fit in exercise, cleaning, washing, grocery shopping (did that at 6pm Friday night! who does that....very few people is the answer as I was one of only a handful of people at my local Coles at that time)
Mish talks about how being organised is the key to success and I totally totally whole-heartedly agree with her but sometimes even the most organised of plans go astray and have their challenges..
So I guess I ask you, how do you make things work? How do you get all the things done in your day and still find times for the things you love? I know some of you have crazier busier lives than me so how do you do it??
Am hoping some of you IBOTter's have some advice! (or at least some sympathy!)
No advice but that's a killer commute. Our in laws and my parents both live 45-50 minutes away - everytime we drive to visit one of them, I say "Imagine living out here and doing this drive daily?!" (us living in the centre of the universe, of course)And I do feel sorry for people who have to spend their time in a lengthy commute (who, I might add, probably feel sorry for us in our small inner city, graffiti ridden street).
ReplyDeleteSo I think definitely feel sorry for yourself, but if you can train it, then at least read and make the drive fun - or audio books if driving? So you feel it isn't wasted time...
Sadly no train option out here but I think I had forgotten about the audio books! and if I chose wisely perhaps I can sign it off as professional development!
DeleteI hope once you are fully settled into your new job you'll have more time. In the meantime, is there anywhere you can say "no"? I ended up cutting a full day of work out (lucky that that was an option) because I was so time more and so exhausted ALL the time I knew something had to change. I also think as long as you're exercising, it doesn't matter if it's to the 12WBT plan or not. Hope you get time to catch your breath soon! x Aroha
ReplyDeletethanks Aroha! I think I definitely need to learn the art of saying no...
DeleteIt sounds like in reality with all the travelling you are doing you don't actually have a lot of time. Perhaps you need to just take the pressure off yourself for a while and accept you can't do everything you want - i know that's not the idea position but you might feel a little less harried? I do completely understand - someone said they thought I was scattered the other day but in reality i'm just trying to do too much. (I hate the idea of being scattered ... but it's true).
ReplyDeleteI share your time challenge. I don't have quite the same commute as you, however it's still very taxing on the old time. Quite often things just simply can't get done. I think you should congratulate yourself as you are super organised. It probably helps to think you only need to survive until December (given the job may not last past then). In the meantime, I guess it's about priorities. Probably the most important priority is you. If that means, the comments on the blog wait, then so be it. I don't mind waiting for a reply, if that means you get some exercise. Take care of you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenster! Definitely need to focus on me!! and not let other things take over from that
DeleteCommuting that long each day is hard. A drives about 1hr-1hr15min each way to work and it does make it a long day. I couldn't do it because I can't drive that long without falling asleep.
ReplyDeleteI think the others have commented similar to what I would recommend - see what you can say no to, try to have meals cooked so that you just have to heat them up - allow yourself some room to breathe. Don't be afraid to say this is too much and allow yourself to give up something that isn't working for you.
Good luck - take care !
Me
Thanks Me!
DeleteWow it sounds like your life is very busy! My life is not that crazy yet, but I am sure life will change when I return to working full time. I do cook double meals and freeze half for an easy meal 1-2 times a week. I only clean on Saturdays for 2 hours no more. I would drop any non essentials and get yourself into routine first with your new job. Good luck finding the balance.
ReplyDeleteCertainly sounds busy. When I did 12wbt last round, I slotted in training when my monkeys were sleeping. And I now don't watch much tv, hardly any really. I just feel like there is so much more productive things I can be doing. Don't be to hard on yourself. It is busy xx
ReplyDeleteOh I feel like my commenting has been supremely slack of late, and that I hardly ever get around to replying to comments!! And that's without a crazy commute.
ReplyDeleteLife is exhausting sometimes. I really want to be having more adventures and fun with my kids, but I just feel like I am so busy all the time. :(
I would HATE to have to commute - I've worked close to home or at home or from home for over 20 years - spoilt I know! I'm guessing you drive too which would be annoying, at least on a train or bus you could blog or do something interesting.
ReplyDeleteI guess all you can do is eliminate whatever is not essential. But like you say it's usually the fun things that go by the wayside :-(
Visiting from team IBOT xxx
Commuting is one of those frustrating things which can feel like pure time wasting. To try to fit things in, I allocate certain things to certain days. Sometimes also, things just aren't done well because less time is devoted to them. At least if you're in a car you can sing along to the radio. Or dictate blog posts as they come into your head onto a voice recorder as you drive (hands free, of course!) ...
ReplyDeleteI never thought about the dictating thing! What a great idea! Thanks Francesca!
DeletePlenty of sympathy here, life is so busy and hectic with work and kids! What I try and do is just try and take each day, drama and activity as it comes, try not to worry about things in advance otherwise you'll go insane! But do ONE thing for me - make time for doing things that make you happy, laugh out loud or at least smile... life is too short to just let fun pass you by. Hang in there Zita xx Em
ReplyDeleteThanks Em! great things for me to remember!
DeleteI don't have any particularly wise words of wisdom, except that sometimes I just don't do that things I'm meant to, and I do something I want to instead. I usually give the thing I was meant to do the rude finger and say "Stuff YOU" (but not so nicely) and just enjoy myself.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I actually have quite a bit of time currently to do things I want to do, but this is a rare phase of life I think, as I can't remember ever having been in it before!!