My days are pretty full; that’s by design. I have my primary job, which is taking care of the kids. Layered on top of that job is my responsibility for maintaining our home, which includes getting supplies, indoor cleaning, and outdoor maintenance. I then layer on my own priorities, which include taking care of my health and writing. When I lay each of these pieces out on my schedule, my calendar groans a little bit.

I enjoyed having Alison home on maternity leave. The kids liked seeing a lot more of her, and we were able to spend quality time together. I used that time to work on some big projects. Knowing that she was home and able to watch the kids freed up a little bit of additional time each day.

With Lucy’s arrival this spring, I set out to get caught up on things that I was chronically behind in. I knew that with a baby in the house, and three kids total, I would have even less time to work on my writing once Alison was back to work. So, I set an aggressive editorial schedule to put me about two months ahead on my publishing. I also knew that when Alison went back to work, she’d be very tired and asking her to edit and review blog posts could be difficult.

The other project that I worked on was tinkering with my productivity. I had purchased a few courses a while back, but hadn’t found the time to sit down and go through them. I learned more about my writing system, and took a very deep dive into my task management program.

The best thing that I learned in doing all of this work was the importance of personal integrity. If I commit to waking up early, and getting my work done before the sun rises, I was mentally free during the day to goof off with the kids. I didn’t feel anxious or feel like I was wasting time. There’s a defined time for work and a defined time for play.

It’s easy to see schedules as restricting, but I now understand how helpful they can be. It doesn’t make getting out of bed in the morning any easier, but it does give me the vision that helps me get to work, knowing I can then play with my kids without distraction.

Tags: Productivity