If we can be honest with each other for one moment…Life can be pretty overwhelming. It definitely doesn’t help when we get lots of media messages that show people living glamourous, seemingly stress-free lives and you are living a life full of stress and sweatpants and wondering if your high school guidance teacher just didn’t show you the brochures for the glamour and no stress life…Stupid Buzzard!
Take heart my friend, I can assure you of one thing…the vast majority of people are in the same scratchin’ and survivin boat right with you! If you don’t know where that saying comes from watch the video of the Good Times opening credits and everyone else let’s keep it pushing… More times than not I find myself in this same boat. Keep in mind that this feeling doesn’t have to just be related to finances which was a huge issue on Good Times, it can be anything related to friendships, to work, self-motivation or the lack of it, or trying to do the things you have been told everyone is able to do that you just don’t seem to manage to accomplish. So many people that I talk with are struggling with something life-related and I think it is good to just have a touch point with you and remind you that if you are struggling you are not alone and the good news is…Things can get better with a few changes!
I will share a personal struggle of mine. I am only good at about 1 thing in my life at a time. If the blog is getting updated regularly my house usually looks like a tornado hit it. If work is going well, I haven’t cooked my own food and worked out that entire week or month. So I decided that this year I would take some things into my own hands.
1st I am looking for a housekeeper. Yes, Alice from The Brady Bunch kinda housekeeper. I have learned I just cannot do everything. No, I will not feel bad about this. Housekeeping is not my strength. I can manage to keep the puppy’s playroom straightened up before bed…That is about it. The rest of my house is a happy hot mess. A call before you come and text me 5 minutes before you get here or else kinda mess.
Next, I decided to try scheduling my life a bit differently. I started my version of bullet journaling. It is a mix of using a life planner, my fave one is from Erin Condren …if you know bullet journaling you may know that most encourage you to create your own setup for planning, but I just don’t have the time and when I feel overwhelmed, I don’t have the creative juice. Erin’s planners come so lovely and easy to use so I take the abbreviations used in bullet journals and add it to my planner along with some creative highlighting. This way I can document and plan for the upcoming day or week. I do this each evening and update it throughout the day. I love feeling like I have accomplished things and see the progress I made over the week.
3rd and probably the most random, I got to bed earlier. I am planning to get ready for bed at 11:30 each night. Around this time I write my plan for the next day in the planner and stop doing everything else. This allows me to get enough sleep for the next day and I can start my day a bit earlier and have more time for things I need to do, like go to the gym or play with the puppy, or actually put away that load of clothes that I washed 3 days ago.
I am giving myself til the end of March to get this new part of my life up and running because I can tell you most of these changes go against my nature, so it will take time. If it doesn’t work by then I will regroup and try something else. Things will never be perfect, but I don’t have to struggle in the same spot forever. Neither do you! What are some things that you would like to change? Is there something you can think of that might help you change it? Share it in the comments! We can get through this together…
xo Danie
Good things take time. Usually we need around 4 weeks to get used to a new routine, so hang in there :-*
Last year, I’ve noticed that planners really help me to stay on track with my task. Today, you have smo many of them you can really choose wich suites you da the best. I’ve try to go to bed early but, I can’t I don’t feel like I’ve bring the most of the my day then.
I have been trying to get to bed earlier too this year! I do actually feel so much better within myself and so much more alert at work!! Keep it up 😀
http://www.chausadventure.com
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Awesome that it is helping! You keep it up too!
Hey, I think we all feel like this from time to time! Decluttering and reorganising really helps. Worth remembering too that we’re all in the same boat. Life isn’t a piece of cake but it sure tastes sweet 😉
XO Miss Portmanteau | https://missportmanteau.com
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Yeah I think you get exactly what I was saying Lara, no one is perfect at it. It helps to know that you are not the only one struggling to get things done sometimes.
I really need to start going to bed earlier! At the moment it’s 12:33am and I’m still wide awake. That could help with a lot of things I’m having at the moment 😀
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It’s so interesting how your sleep impacts the entire flow of my day. If I don’t sleep I don’t get much done.
I feel just the same…. I hoop planning a little bit more will help you. I will try to do it too!
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Let me know how it goes, we can get there together.
Don’t feel guilty for hiring a housekeeper. If it’s not your favorite thing to do and if you don’t have so much free time, do this and free yourself. Also, small steps bring a big movement in overall!
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Nope I don’t feel guilty but I know some do. I used to feel bad but I am so over struggling to get one corner of my house clean and then 85% of it is a big mess because I have such a packed schedule. I just think about readers that might be struggling with doing something like that for themselves. I want them to know they don’t have to feel guilty for one second. Thanks Helene for supporting the post I really appreciate it.
Girl, you just discovering housekeepers? That’s how I keep my sanity! Great blog, sweetie!
This is awesome! Way to put systems in place to help stay on track (and have the self awareness to re-evaluate if they don’t work). I think all three of these are fantastic. Especially your planner. 🙂 I also love the concept of bullet journals but don’t have the time so my planner looks very similar to yours (but I use green highlighter for gym and pink highlighter for blog stuff, haha). Totally rooting for you that these systems bring positive change to your life. YOU GOT THIS!
Once we tell ourselves that we are not super woman and that we need help then that’s when things start to get easier.
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YAY thanks for commenting bestie boo!
Girl we sure are all scratchin and survivin with you! Kudos for the housekeeper. As a stay at home mom I know the hard work to keep a house together and don’t blame you one bit for finding help. Let’s keep our sanity right?
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You are the best in the world Tricie. Love you and thanks so much for checking out the post <3
Hi. I too have pushed myself to an earlier bedtime since the beginning of Jan, and can slowly see the difference. Getting enough sleep is crucial for having a good and productive day. Good luck with your efforts.
Hi it ok, sometimes we just need some extra hands and that ok. Go girl!
It is awesome that you have taken control of these things!! It is important to realize our strengths & change things when they’re not working for us. Thanks for sharing!