The Time Factor

It's just beginning ... the time factor could start to impose a threat on my new found serenity.

I am so grateful to have a side income from delivering flyers. I get paid to exercise. This will force me outside despite the weather, lack of sunshine or warmth. Fresh air, sunshine and exercise is a good combination. It is even better when it comes with a financial reward. But it is the time that will start to play havoc with how the days unfold.

One and a half hours on Wednesday. Three hours over the course of Friday and Saturday. I have the freedom to work this into my day where ever it fits. I can fully appreciate the flexibility of this responsibility after the path I've travelled of late.

It is getting just a tiny bit challenging to fit this into those time frames the past few weeks ...

Then there is my writing.

Three papers are running my column. At the moment, I have several deadlines looming. I must get some more columns submitted. I simply haven't had the energy to devote to writing lately. It is partially a time factor. The other part of the equation is that I spend a lot of my words verbally lately.

I spent the weekend with my sisters. I talked so much that I was continually the last one to finish eating what was placed in front of me. When they left, I had a few phone calls to make. By the time I hung up the phone and felt the quiet of the house envelope me ... all I could hear was the sound of my own voice ringing in my ears.

Now I'm starting up another daycare blog for my parents. This required a little time and a few more words to put it all together in one cohesive unit. Add this to the chapters that I am writing and illustrating (inserting photos that we take during our days) about our Days at Daycare and I'm coming up empty at the end of the day.

I am using up my quota of words and I still have so many places that I need to 'spend' them! I dare not even mention the book that I should have completed long ago about my dad's family history and memories ...

Then there are my friends.

I read an article about the high cost of friendship the other day. The article talked of the cost of dining out, going to the theatre, working out and other ways that we spend money when we socialize with friends. I looked at my friendships and they 'cost' me very little. The only cost is ... time.

I used to live a very quiet life. Most of my friends and family lived out of town or in another province. I wrote a lot of letters and it was a rare treat to talk to them on the phone (before long distance phone bundles became the norm). There was a small 'time' factor ... but nothing compared to what I spend today.

Investing time on friends and family is the best investment one can make. Spending my working hours at home is the best way to make the most of those little 'cracks' in the day to do that-which-I-want-to-get-done and still take care of all my responsibilities.

Why am I starting to panic ever-so-slightly?? Because I still have one part-time-at-home job to fit into all of the above. Ten hours a week. Something has got to give. I just haven't figured out what ...

I suppose I should start by turning off the TV!