I’m not proud to admit that my mantra for 2012 seemed to be “I’m such a bitch.” I can blame my stress on everything from my hectic writing schedule to my ever expanding buttocks and active children. But let’s face it, I have nothing to complain about—well, except for that buttocks part.
Whether it’s keeping the house clean or running the Iditarod, it’s my belief that every woman struggles with balance in her life. Sometimes, for me anyway, getting groceries is as arduous as running the Boston marathon, but I know it has to be done. Last year I found myself saying no to a lot of events simply because I was tired mentally and physically. But all that is going to change. 2013 is my Year of Yes.
Like I said, I have nothing to complain about. I have four books releasing this year and I’ve recently landed two four-book series contracts. Yay me! Woe to my expanding waistline and family time. That means a lot of hours in front of the computer, but if I don’t get this balancing act down soon my family is going to go on strike. Oh, and let me add that they are amazingly supportive with everything from laundry to brainstorming my stories.
So what’s the plan, Boone?
My first act as the Queen of Balance is to say yes to physical activity even when I’m tired. I always have fun when I do. Since I live where I work, getting out of the house gives me a mental break, not to mention exercise, plus my dog dearly loves his daily walk. It’s giving myself permission to step away from the computer that has guilted me into saying no in the past and thus, to pack on a few fluffy pounds. But no longer!
I’m embracing baby steps. Cleaning my house is a never-ending project. The mess will always be there because I have kids. I’ve realized I don’t need to clean everything at once. I’m an all or nothing kind of gal. Cleaning a little each day will eventually get things to a tolerable level. Even I can spend fifteen minutes a day hitting the hot spots where all the crap piles up.
Unfortunately, up until now, my cleanliness expectations have run on the lower end of the spectrum. As long as I wasn’t stepping on toys or scooping stuff off my chair, I could ignore the rest of the mess. But it’s not all about me, hard to believe, and there are other people who live in the house. Wait a minute, other people mean more hands to pitch in. For some reason I’ve always thought it was my job to do all the domestic chores. Who am I, June Cleaver? I WILL ask for help. I don’t have to do everything on my own. Delegate—delegate—delegate!
After hundreds of dollars in organizational products—binders, colored markers, Post-it notes, plastic bins, and Totes—OMG, Totes and more Totes—working smarter not harder is the message I’ve finally learned.
Already I’ve noticed that my stress and waistline are decreasing. Of course I still have my struggles. I don’t think I’ll ever completely achieve balance because I’m too random in my thoughts and actions. In other words, easily diverted by something that seems more like fun at the time, and that’s okay. But for my mental and physical health, not to mention my relationships, I will make a change. 2013 is my Year of Yes. How about you? What are your struggles with balance?
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