New season sends me back to the chopping block...

Since a New Year's Resolution of mine was to: STOP OVERCOMMITTING - I often take things to the chopping block.

This next season of life...the next year of life I should say has a full plate, and it's just begun.

My spring quarter of school is coming to an end and summer quarter will start the first week of July. However, in the meantime, it's time to get to work on my thesis.

For my topic, I'm leaning toward something that has to do with motherhood, womanhood, wifehood...something along the lines of roles, goals, expectations, and God-given responsibilities. Including health, fitness, time-management, work/career vs. staying home, working at home, the need for mentorship amongst women, and negative effects of social media on the family. These are just some ideas I'm tossing around. I haven't even began to see what kind of resources are out there to support my ideas.

Today as I stripped the bed for the wash, I thought to myself, maybe this will be the foundation of publishing a 'Handbook for Christian Women, Wives, and Moms'...who knows? I'm a dreamer.

It wouldn't be hard to guess that I am a nerd and love to research and write, so this is truly fun for me. NOT grueling at all. However, it will require even more time-management, attention and sacrifice. And I'm gearing up for that.

The key to proper time-management is

NOT overcommitting.

And while my schedule isn't packed with too many things, my mind is cluttered with other obligations and past ideas, dreams, and commitments.

Sadly enough, I'm coming to the place that this one last thing, that I thoroughly enjoyed, was successful at, and love is inching it's way onto the chopping block. I put effort out, got the word out, and worked it out...but I'm feeling in my gut that in order for all my attention and focus to be on school, this thesis, my degree....my mind has to be freed of this one thing. Can you guess what it is?

I have to practice what I preach. "Stop overcommitting", "give your time to things that are spiritually fruitful", "spend less time spinning your wheels"...the list of suggestions goes on and on. And I'm convinced this is the conviction of the Holy Spirit affirming me in the direction of ministry.

So with that, friend lists are shrinking and checking email is the last thing on my mind.

When God gives us a dream, a goal, calls us to do certain things, we have to abandon what WE want, let go of what ties us up and keeps us from being fully devoted to what He has for us.

Why is alleviating ourselves from obligations so difficult?

Wasn't it Nacho Libre that said:

YOU ARE THE GATEKEEPER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY.

So use the key that God has given you and unlock the great possibilities He has for your life!

ORGANIZED TIME = ORGANIZED LIFE

Today is Friday, the last day of a week that I implemented a new strategy to get my life more organized and efficient. I touched on some things that I was doing in my posts this week, but thought I would recap in case you missed it:

Here's some new things I am doing to be a better time-manager:

1. Up at 5 a.m. to workout. I was working out at 9 or 10 a.m. which was a primetime for either the park/playing with the kids, or running important errands (without suffering 100 degree weather).
2. Start my 'work' at 6:30 a.m. to about 8 a.m. while the kids sleep. Blog, emails, FB stuff done when they wake up hungry.
3. Get self in gear & showered by 9ish. Out the door by 9:30/10 a.m.
4. Write out my to-do list the night before to wake up w/ a plan for the next day.
5. Practice laser-beam focus when on the internet to get 'work' done & not get sidetracked.
6. Plan a fun activity w/ my boys & follow through. This week we made it to a spray park & a museum. Planning something else today.
7. Home by 4 p.m.

The results of this new strategy:

1. Increase in productivity. Gained ground and momentum with business & increase in sales.
2. Time available to friends in need.
3. DAILY workouts...no hit or misses.
4. Home in time to have dinner hot & ready for hubby.
5. And most importantly: more QUALITY time with my kids.

What's awesome about this is...these are my priorities: Husband, kids, personal fitness, a successful business, and time left over to help others.

I'll say it again: ORGANIZED TIME = ORGANIZED LIFE!