How ever do I manage to get things done for myself each day?  How do I map out that time?  Answer:  A little bit here and a little bit there.

My day starts off with the most important snippet of time I can carve out of my day by some quiet moments with the Lord.  I would prefer to hit the floor with my feet running, but I make myself stop and spend at least 20-30 minutes each morning just being quiet.  Sometimes I simply pray.  Other days I read a bit from a book or a biblestudy that helps me focus in on the Lord more and what He may be trying to teach me.  You can read more about how I trained my children to leave me alone for these quiet moments here.

Another snippet of time that I manage to grab for myself is during the afternoons.  My children do not nap anymore, but they still have a quiet time from 2-3 pm every afternoon.  This is a time when they choose quiet activities to do.  They read, nap, draw, play with their Leg*s or my daughters may play with things like Littlest P*t Shop, Puppy in My P*cket, or P*lly Pocket.  It is during this time that I am able to quiet my mind again and either slip in a nap for myself so I can make it through the rest of the day, read a book or work on my crocheting.  Maybe you’re thinking that it sounds ideal–and it is–but it has taken years of groundwork so that my kids still maintain the habit.  I have kept this time of quiet in their daily life for their benefit of being able to have the skill of entertaining themselves for a period of time and so they also know how to quiet themselves each day.  It is also for my personal benefit because it gives me a chance to enjoy solitude in the midst of a noisy household.  I am naturally an introverted person so this quiet time each day allows me to not lose my mind by the time my husband walks in the door after work.

Most days I also manage to grab a little bit more time in the afternoons or evenings to write this blog or to enjoy my hobbies.  I’m not talking a lot of time, but little bits of time throughout the day.  If it’s merely 15 minutes, I take it.  If it’s an hour, I take it.  I also have purposed to find things I enjoy that I can take with me everywhere I go.  Not all things apply out of my home, but I have a few things that I can throw into a bag and take on the go.  It helps pass the time, but it also helps to get things done while I’m doing other things.  I’m infamous for crocheting any time I am sitting.  Honestly, it helps me think better when my fingers are moving.

Day by day and little by little I get it done.  By carving out little bits of time each day, the grand total of what I get done each week is astounding, especially with all that I have on my plate!  So I ask you, what can you do little bit by little bit each day and surprise yourself with your weekly results?  Maybe you’ve sidelined your sewing skills or your scrapbooking.  Maybe you’ve got a stack of books you wish you could read.  Maybe you’re more practical and just wish you could find a way to tackle the cleaning of your house.  Whatever it is that you wish you could get done each day.  Start small and map out just 15 minutes of what you wish you could do and do it!

One thing that makes my daily desires become a reality is by making them easy to store.  When you’ve got little hands around, you’ve got to find a way to make it easy for you to pull out when in use and to put away when done.  If you like to scrapbook, is there a place you can find to leave messy while your pages are in progress?  Can you close a bedroom door?  Can you roll up your puzzle and tuck it away by using one of those fancy mats?  Can your sewing machine be put on a high shelf for temporary daily storage?  Just be creative and find a way to carve out some time for the things you enjoy each day.  Every little bit helps.  Not only will you feel connected to who you are each day, it will encourage you to press on when you see the end result of all you’ve accomplished.  That amount may not be all that you wish it was, but it’s better than declaring defeat and getting nothing done at all!