One of the things I need to do this weekend is sit down and figure out some things. I'm not doing a very good job of balancing my life right now. Last night it came to a head and I kind of freaked out. OK, I threw some hot pads and slammed some cupboards and sent myself to my room for a while. :) I can't seem to get a handle on how much of "me" I should keep in this time of my life where I am mostly "mom." Do you know what I mean?
I am a very creative person. Some parts of being a mom are just not that creative. Driving them to different practices and games and activities doesn't require a lot of creative energy--though I suppose I could be creative with the route I take... Folding laundry, making beds, putting lunches together, again, not very creative in the sense of the word that fills my tank. I figured out a while ago that I needed to keep some creativity in my life. So I started adding creative things in my life. I started making jewelry and knitting, which led to my craft business. I did some graphic design work for my church which led to other clients. I blog. These things make me feel alive in a different way than being a mommy does, but they keep growing. Please don't think I don't enjoy being a mommy, I'm just saying it doesn't fill that part of me.
Here's the delima. How much of that creative stuff should I be doing? What is the right amount of time to spend on my craft business verses playing Uno with the girls? I know enough to know that my girls are more important, but does that mean I have to give up the craft business? Do I have to put the graphic design stuff aside until they are 18? Or only do it when they are in bed? Then there's the other priorities too: quiet time, time for husband, cleaning, friends, church library volunteer...you get the idea.
This is the stuff I have to figure out soon. All I know so far is that my current approach isn't working so I've got to reprioritize somewhat. I need an operator's manual for this time in my life. Is there a secret formula that I can punch some numbers into and get a solution? X hours allowed on me, Y hours for husband, Z hours for kids: X+Y+Z=?
