Yesterday I received an email inviting me to a healthy living blogger conference next summer. At first glance I was so excited. I love hearing about other bloggers’ experiences going to these conferences, meeting fellow bloggers and learning new tips and tricks of the blogging world. I looked at the date and realized that a good friend will be getting married around the same time. I wondered if the wedding and conference would fall on the same weekend, or if they may be a week apart, so I could attend both.
Then I started thinking that those 2 events would fill up 2 weekends in a month, leaving only 2 weekends remaining. And this was for NEXT year. How can I already be filling up my calendar for 2011? Next year things are supposed to calm down. We’re supposed to have a more relaxed schedule. However, somehow ‘next year’ never happens. Things always stay pretty busy. This led me to think about how I choose to spend my time.
I often get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I think about fall and the holidays. I think they stem back to when I was a kid. Time seemed to pass more slowly then. Fall would leisurely arrive, as would pumpkin carving, Halloween costumes and a Thanksgiving trip to Nannies. Gently fall would pass and Christmas season would be upon us. The Christmas carols, cookies baking in the oven, elaborate garland wrapped around the banisters, present shopping and all the cheer that came with it would emerge. We’d watch Christmas movies, go visit Santa at the mall, wrap gifts, play with the train around the tree, and spend time as a family. School would let us out for Christmas break, and those 2 weeks would stretch on forever. In a good way.
I love all the warm feelings and memories I have, but now I’m left wondering why the season doesn’t last as long nowadays. It’s almost November. I rushed to carve a pumpkin the other day for fear that Halloween would pass me by before I got a chance to do so. I am anxiously awaiting word on when Hubbs’ work Christmas party will be so I can make sure I work it into the December calendar and still have time for all the other friends and family I want to see. I also want to decorate the Christmas tree, try new Christmas recipes, find time to snuggle by the fire and watch ELF with Hubbs. Of course I want to make sure I also keep up with my running, continue to move forward with the company and squeeze in time to take Koda to the dog park. All of these things I feel like I need to go ahead and mark on the calendar, otherwise I feel like the Christmas season will fly by before I have a chance to check them all off my list.
Why does the season pass by so quickly now? How was it that I had so much more time to do all the wonderful holiday traditions back in the days when I didn’t even have an organized calendar to make sure I could fit it all in?
Bottom line? I feel overbooked. And the sad thing is, I still feel like I don’t see my friends or family nearly as often as I’d like, nor do I have time to do all the things I want to do with Hubbs. So what am I so gosh darn busy doing? Why is the time passing so quickly? How am I booked every weekend and still not having the time to do all the things I want and need to do
AHHH. Someone make the world stop turning for one second. Puh-lease.
This leads me to the conclusion that time must speed up and we grow up. I remember days being longer a few years ago… where did those extra hours go? And can I get them back?
In my striving to live a healthy life (in mind, body & soul), how I spend my time has a great impact on the quality of my life. Am I the only one that feels like the time flies by? Do I just need a good lesson in time management? Ugh. Even that phrase – time management – sounds exhausting. I don’t want to structure and schedule my time… I just want to live it. And have time to do all the wonderful things that one is supposed to do during the holiday season.
I guess this is more of a introspective rant rather than a post that has a dramatic and insightful conclusion.
Maybe I just want to know that I’m not the only one who struggles with this?
What about you? Do you have time to do everything you want to do? How do you manage your time?
Sarah for Real says
When I get really overwhelmed and confused, I know it’s time to bust out my list of priorities. Family, health, work, hobbies, doggies, etc… Then I can look at my list and drop some of the things at the bottom until later and I don’t feel guilty.
Alexa @ The Girl In Chucks says
I know exactly what you mean.
This entire year blew by so quickly…I can’t even believe that it’s nearly November.
I am the worst time manager ever.
This comment has no advice, as I struggle with this on a daily basis. Just thought you should know you are not alone!
Lindsay @ The Ketchup Diaries says
We all struggle with this. I had plans to pick apples, but then something came up (our water heater broke!) so we had to cancel to go to Home Depot. There hasn’t been another time to go since. The old I get, the more I realize that I have to do things less for other people. I don’t want to be anti-social, but a lot of times, I just want to do things with Mr. KD and not 50 million other people.
Corey @ The Runner's Cookie says
Is there anything you can drop? Things that you feel you “have to do” for other people but aren’t really that important to you? No one can do everything or please everyone, and I think that’s where everyone needs to ask themselves “what do I really, truly care about?”
There are a lot of things I want to do (with my time and money), and I always need to remind myself to not get into tunnel vision on one thing but to keep in mind the whole picture and satisfy the things that are most important to me first (time with family, Ben, friends), then go to the next important things (school stuff, sleep, running, yoga) and then the next (blogging, cooking)…etc. Some days I don’t get to the less important things, and that’s okay.
In terms of “booking myself”, I like having plans but also love having free days on the weekends to do errands, go to a movie, catch up on stuff, etc. so I don’t like to schedule myself constantly – it’s all about the balance for me!
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
Gosh the sentence you said about feeling overbooked yet still not seeing family and friends enough totally relates to me. I feel overbooked and long for relaxed weekends and at the same time I miss my friends and family and want to visit and travel. Life passes us by too quickly!
Nichole says
Sorry to say, you’re normal. You will power through but I definitely have those moments when you are like, “how in the world?” Make priorities. Make a list. Make time for your family.
I’m no pro, but that works for me:)
Jess@atasteofconfidence says
Ever since college, time has been FLYING for me. In high school, everything used to drag…but I didn’t enjoy it as much. Now I almost embrace time flying because I’m so involved in life that I don’t even notice it! But it does freak me out sometimes…where’d all the time go?!
John J. says
Brittany, great blog about an important topic. I think Nichole nails it best. I just finished an article for the newspaper emphasizing that your calendar gives you feedback as to what your priorities are. Who are the people that are most important, as well as activities and places to go. Plus, scheduled alone time is of value. Can’t do it all – prioritize!
Christina @ Food.Fun.Fabulous. says
Every year I swear life goes by faster. It’s so annoying! I feel like I miss out on things sometimes :/
Pure2raw Twins says
Life goes by way tooooooo fast!!! I wish it would slow down too! I do not have enough time in the day to do what I want. I need to start really prioritizing things better 😉
Melissa says
I agree Brittany. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. And we don’t even have kids factored into that equation yet! Not sure if you plan on having any or not, but I hope to. I guess sometimes priorities need to be looked at. Since I started the blog I feel obligated to always post. I need to step back and say “it is okay if I don’t get to it.” I guess that is easier said than done because now I know people are reading and I do not want to let anyone down if I don’t post that day.
Samantha @ Health, Happiness & Skinny Jeans says
I can relate to this. I think as we get older we get so busy with things that we have very little time to appreciate all those wonderful things that we enjoyed when we were young and presumably carefree. I think the key for me is to learn to say no sometimes. No, I can’t attend your party. No, I won’t be baking for the company bakesale this year. No, I am not going Uncle Al’s ugly Christmas Sweater potluck dinner. Its about priorities, even if the priority is sitting on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and enjoying Frosty the Snowman for the millionth time. I don’t want life to pass me by without getting a chance to have a lot of fun a long the way!!