Work-Life Balance

I have been thinking a lot about balance just recently.  More specifically getting the right balance between being busy and relaxing.  I have a crazy innate desire to always be on the go and I know this is not healthy, so my aim is to change that.  I wrote recently about making sensible choices and I think that has been a step towards my being more chilled and not so hyper.

Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans

John Lennon

When I think of balance, the term Work-Life Balance comes to mind and I started to think about this and decided it's a strange term.  Surely work is just a part of life? I suppose the term 'life' is being used in this case to describe what I think of as relaxation or fun.  I googled work-life balance and was surprised to find 32,800,000 results.  OK a popular thing to tap into then!  There were centres for work-life balance and lots of companies trying to sell you the secret formula, but I do not believe there is any secret formula, for me it is about looking for my inner peace and that all starts for me by turning my day over to God.

I got up early one morning
And rushed right into the day!
I had so much to accomplish
That I didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,
And heavier came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered.
He answered, "You didn't ask!"

I tried to come into God's presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
"Why, child, you didn't knock!"

I wanted to see joy and beauty,
But the day toiled on, gray and bleak.
I wondered why God didn't show me.
He said, "But you didn't seek."

I woke up early this morning,
And paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray!

By Grace L. Naessens

As the poem suggests quite often I forget to turn my day over.  I feel so hassled and busy that I run headfirst into the day and that is when we see 'Mich the Headless Chicken!'.

So this last couple of weeks I have been really very good.  I am back to bible reading each morning, I am reading uplifting literature during the day, I am listening to my #Slimpod at night and I am making sure that my days activities are balanced and include a good measure of both work and play. Finding joy and fun in the mundane things of life is a challenge and I have been enjoying having a good old laugh with my kids just recently.

Work of course does not just mean paid work.  As a Mum my work also involves looking after my house, finances, car, kids etc.  Let me share an example of a great balanced day last Wednesday:

• 7.30am The girls and I awake.  Dh and JJ away at camp.  Girls head off to the playroom to ramshackle it.  I grab my bible for a leisurely read in bed.
• 8am They join me in bed and I read them a couple of stories and have a huggle.
• 8.15am We all go down for breakfast together and I tidy the kitchen, put washing/ dishwasher on etc
• 8.45am The girls play a make believe game together (cafe's) and watch a bit of TV.  I feel no guilt in them doing this knowing they will have all my attention later today. I settle down with the laptop for an hours work.
• 9.45am Shower and get dressed. Take some time to do my nails and use moisturiser etc with the TV on for background noise. Then dress the girls.
• 10.30am Head to the kitchen to clean down behind the cooker, fridge, freezer etc and have a right old scrub.  It was a mess, I honestly can not tell you when the last time was I pulled the cooker out and gave it a thorough clean.  How often do you do it? Go on, be honest with me.

Before, ewww!

After, much better!

• 11:45am Make a picnic, get the girls ready and head out for a swim with a whole group of friends and their kids. One of the only Mums to get in the pool and I loved it, yes I felt fat but boy did I laugh with my little ladies - bring on the next time!
• 1.45pm Swim over, picnic in the park and lots of play for the girls and chat for mummy.
• 4pm Head home for a chilled couple of hours before dinner and the whole bath/ bed routine.
• 8pm Girls sleeping and mummy chilling with the TV and her blog - bliss!

See I am getting it, aren't I?  It was a fab day and just recently there have been plenty like it.