Well....tomorrow is my last day of work at my full time job. Excited doesn't begin to describe it. I'd be lying though if I didn't confess there's still a little anxiety about leaving the comfort of a full time job. It's just what I know. Every two weeks I knew I would be getting a paycheck. I knew we had good health insurance. I knew that shy of something drastic my job wasn't going anywhere. PLUS working full time really helped me be more organized (Josh would probably disagree but it did). When I was on maternity leave I had all the plans of getting tons of things done and being a supermom, superwife, superchef, superhousekeeper, and superdieter. I can guarantee that did NOT happen. I just couldn't get it together. Well now I really don't have an excuse. I need to get it together and I will feel better if I do. I'm not saying things will be perfect, because they won't BUT I need a system, some organization, to help me.
There are several areas in which I would like to be more organized. If you have ANY suggestions or things you do to stay organized in these let me know.
Planning
The first thing I did in effort to become more organized was to a buy a planner. I always kept up with things on my calendar at work and so I needed something for myself. Even buying a planner was a huge deal. I wanted the perfect one. Well the one I wanted was more expensive than what I needed so I settled for a basic planner from Walmart. It will suit me just fine.
I want to use this to keep track of appointments, bills, play dates, etc. I happen to LOVE writing in a new planner but I usually let it go after a while. I'm attempting to keep it going this time.
Housework
The truth is, if I don't schedule a time to do things around our apartment it won't get done and we'll be living in filth. I need to learn to tackle a few things at a time so it's not so overwhelming.
Meals
This area needs a lot of work. Josh and I don't have the money to be willy-nilly about this. If it's not planned and well thought out we'll end up spending too much on groceries and too much money eating out. We don't have money to do that. I love to cook and try new things but I need to be organized in doing so.
Plus in the near future I will have to start planning Sadie's meals. Right now it's easy. Soon though she'll be on baby food and it is my desire to make her baby food. It will help save money so it is important I at least try.
Dieting
When everything is out of control this area seems to follow suit. I need to have healthy snacks available on the go and I need to be disciplined and self controlled enough to choose those instead of something else. It's hard but I will be happier and more energized if I do. My weight is a big struggle right now so I need to be proactive about getting the weight OFF.
Exercise
This presents a bit of a challenge. We can't afford a gym membership. Period. Our apartment complex has a workout facility but Sadie can't just come and hang out while I work out. My solution would be workout videos and things. The problem with this is we live on the second floor of an apartment. I don't think our downstairs neighbors would appreciate my efforts to get fit. I'd love to be able to walk around our neighborhood but we don't have one. :)
I think I'm just going to have to schedule some workouts around Sadie's nap times and let her nap at my parent's house while I meet with Jillian Michaels to Shred. We'll see.
Blogging
I'm very behind on blogging right now but it is very important that I keep this up and get better at it. I actually want to be a better blogger too. I'd like to write about things that have meaning. I'd like to share more recipes and fun ideas. I think I will have to schedule blogging time for after Sadie goes to bed. At least with blogging it is something I can do while relaxing in bed myself.
Sewing
Now that I have a baby girl I MUST make time to sew. I will regret it if I don't. First I need to organize my sewing area so that it isn't so overwhelming. I have a very small space so I need to be creative. I love to sew and although it is stressful at times it is something I enjoy. Plus it sure would be nice to start selling a few things here and there again. It would help out a lot!
Family
I can't forget Josh and Sadie. Between all this other I still want and need to spend good quality time with my husband and daughter. Nothing is worth sacrificing time with them. I can already tell that Josh and I need to be deliberate about taking time for dates and things. It's so easy to let it slip by but what a shame to let it do that.
Sadie is changing and growing so much and I don't want to miss a thing with her either. She needs my attention and I want to give it to her.
The LORD
MOST importantly I need to spend time with the Lord. I miss Him. It hasn't been the same lately and I can tell. There is NO way I will have the strength and energy to do anything listed above if I don't spend time with Him first. My goal is to get up a few minutes before Sadie does to have a quiet time. I need time each day set aside or it won't happen. He has been so good to me and I cringe at the thought that I would ignore Him day in and day out.
Like I mentioned before, if anyone has any suggestions on ways I can become more organized let me have it. :)
14 comments:
My husband and I do meal planning, and it has helped us tremendously. :-) Good luck on your last day tomorrow!!
Oh I completely understand the feelings of leaving 'job security' and 'medical insurance security'. With our new prescription plan, I thought I was going to have to spend somewhere between $50-100 on 2 Rxs today. I prayed to the Lord to provide a way for us to be able to pick up the scripts. And you know what? They turned out to be $10 each!!! God is SO GREAT!!! So yes, quiet time with the Lord is a good first goal -- and the rest will fall into place :) He has provided our every need in very visible ways over the last month since I quit my job.
I am still figuring a lot of things out to becoming "organized", so I will check back at others' comments on this post.
What's helped me for menu planning is: I made a list of all of our favorite meals, and had my husband add to it. We do mostly a rotating menu with these meals that is simple, and can be interchanged if we don't feel following the menu exactly. I've also tried to make things in double/triple batches and freeze extras. It helps on nights that I don't feel like cooking. Also, we do a lot with leftovers ~ use them for lunches or an extra meal during the week.
Good luck with your last day tomorrow! It's a very surreal thing, but definitely something to celebrate!!
hey! I hung a whiteboard near our kitchen/dining room. I draw a calendar and put our meals for abt 2 weeks at a time. I also keep a running grocery list on it so i can look at the week ahead, see what we're eating and make sure it's all on the grocery list. I also keep my to do list here so i always see it. It's a big white board :)
i've been seeing HUGE results with Jillian's SHRED dvd's - i downloaded them on itunes, and play them on my computer. it's only 25 min a day, and i'm seeing SUCH definition!
i've tried something new this month, that has seemed to really help me. i set goals - but i just have to do them for the month and i track if i complete them. so one of my goals was to read a novel (i'm in the last weeks before a wedding and it's so hard to find time to the things that relax me!) i have to SHRED daily. I have to eat well. But I only have to do it for the month. Next month, I'll set new goals (and probably keep some of them the same!)
xx
First of all, give yourself some time. It took me the first 6-8 months to feel like I could handle everything like I did pre-baby. I use e-mealz for meal planning, it's $5 a month and you don't have to think about dinner. We use leftovers for lunch so it makes things easy. They have a points plan for weight-watchers so the meal plans are healthy. Good luck!
Give yourself some time, it'll all fall into place. It took me a good 8+ months to feel in control of everything again!
We use e-mealz for meal planning. It's $5 a month and you don't have to think about dinner or list making. We use the points-system list that is for weight-watchers. Good luck!
I had no idea u had even gone back to work! How have u been doing it? And you made everything look so smoothly! Blessings in this new phase of your life....Danielle
I do a meal schedule at the end of each paycheck. We only make two big grocery trips per month and my shopping list comes from the meal schedule, along with snacks and other necessities. This way we only are buying what is on the list. We eat leftovers, either for lunch the next day or dinner. I have not always used a meal schedule, and it is so much easier now.
You mentioned chores...maybe designate each day for a specific chore or two. And when Sadie is swinging or napping, you can quickly get those chores done. But be flexible...those chores will wait for you.
And one last thing we just started, in hopes of trying to be more organized, is created a calendar on our home computer. It is color coded. Things that my husband has to do are one color, mine another color, and family obligations another color. It really helps us to not "double book" and to just stay sane with each other's schedules.
I hope some of this helps, but do what is best for you and your family. Best wishes!
I am a new mom to a 3 month old baby girl. I would recommend doing 10-20 minute workouts which are free on Exercise TV! I do them during my daughter's naps and it is really helping me get back into shape. Jen
When my children were babies (they are now 17 and 19), my exercise routine consisted of loading them into a double stroller and walking. We would literally walk for miles! After breakfast each morning, I would put them in the stroller, put leashes on my two Yorkies and head out the door. It became something we all looked forward to and best of all, it was FREE! I lost all my baby weight plus some, and it felt great when people complimented me on my legs!
You can do it! Just try one new thing a week. Trying to do too much all at once is just too overwhelming.
A HUGE $$ saver is to make your own baby food! So easy...find produce ( fresh or frozen), cut up and steam in microwave (put food in bowl, add a little water and cover with Saran wrap) and either mash or put in food processor. Put food into ice cube trays, freeze and pop out and thaw when needed!
We have had lots of practice living on one salary with little ones. Here are a few of my favorites - the MomAgenda planner (it helps me stay organized), Fly Lady and the book Sink Reflections (helps me have a plan for keeping up with the house - Highly Recommend), and as Sadie gets older, train her to eat what you are eating - it saves you time and money when you aren't fixing a separate meal for children.
I have only one suggestion, and that is to plan your meals a month at a time. This may sound daunting, but I've found that it allows me to buy certain things for cheaper by getting them in bulk. What I do is either make a monthly meal calendar or at least a list of the meals we're going to eat that month (the order always, always gets switched around for one reason or another). I usually plan around which meats are on sale at our local grocery stores and then buy them in bulk and divide them up before freezing or refrigerating when I get home. I also do things like if we're going to have beef burgundy one night, then I make sure to use the leftover potatoes / carrots / etc. in other recipes during the month. I've found that if I do one big trip at the beginning of the month and then 2 smaller trips later in the month for fresh things (milk / bread / produce) I spend the least amount of money on groceries. I hope this makes sense :) Best wishes on all of your goals--you will find a way to get everything in order soon I'm sure!
Hmmmm, just brainstorming, but do you have a mall where you could go to walk for exercise with Sadie in her stroller. I did that with my little one and he was entertained by all the lights and other mall walkers and I got in 30 minutes of brisk walking. But now we don't live near a mall :(
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