Balancing life activities

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I wanted to write a thoughtful long post about all this today, but I was too busy doing two patent drawing jobs, harvesting veggies from the garden, giving banjo lessons, cooking, reading my new books about beekeeping, mending clothes, paying bills, solving issues on my online music community/forum, visiting with my daughter on the phone, doing the laundry,....

[aeiea]

I wanted to write a thoughtful long post about all this today, but I was too busy doing ....

LOL!!

I was in the middle of a thoughtful long post, but I got caught up with other tasks that I forgot I had this window open for half of the day.

So back to what I was writing ... OP, someone mentioned adding more travel to your commute. Thumbs up here, even if it means taking the long way or doing a loops. I took the longer, more scenic, less trafficy route at my old job, which made it all the more pleasant.

Also, since your bike is at work, why not take it out for lunch, bike around, and then just eat at your desk if you're allowed?

There are creative ways to kill two birds with one stone. Last night I did yoga while defragmenting my hard drive. Danced while doing the dishes (read: dangerous).

The best thing for me is to just drop something -- re-prioritize. Like Tulip, I no longer get to practice my instruments as much (though I practice singing in the car). I read less but listen to audio books more. I spend less time cooking and more time shopping at the farmer's market for fresh and simple ingredients.

Cool discussion topic.

[emily_in_nc]

As much as I enjoy being online and the friendships I've made, maintained, or re-kindled online, I must admit (and I am sure a lot of you would agree) that I had a lot more "free" time back in the pre-internet days. I read many, many fewer books now and do much less (almost no) crafts. Fortunately, I do still find time to work out - mostly during my work day (gym at lunchtime, yoga and Pilates classes free through the work gym too) and on weekends; but my DH does the majority of the cooking and chores (he's retired). But he doesn't dust and doesn't do a lot of cleaning I think should be done, and won't go for the cleaning lady idea, so I still have to do that stuff if I want it done. Often I just let it go until we have company coming, and then go crazy cleaning...kinda stressful!

I honestly don't know how we managed when we were both working. Of course, we didn't do internet (or very little - dial-up days!) then. We don't even have children, but have always had at least one dog and many hobbies. We have a 30' sailboat at the coast now and spend a lot of time doing boat projects even when we're not there.

It is hard finding time for everything, and that's one of the main reasons I only manage to ride twice a week -- a mountain bike ride after work with a friend once a week, and a longer weekend road ride with DH. But that's okay too -- I like the variety of doing a lot of different things.

I can't even imagine trying to work full-time and have a farm too, like GLC. Farming is a full-time job as it is! No wonder you're feeling a bit overloaded...

[Owlie]

I'm still in college, so my balancing is in a different place from most of yours. The cycling gets done on the weekends and Monday mornings. I have fencing practices twice a week in the evenings, but that occasionally has to give if I have a lot of work to do. Classes or lab work take up most of the day, then I come home and cook in the evening. I try to cook mostly on weekends, but I still haven't learned that what would last my family maybe three days lasts us two--BF eats about twice as much as I do. Oh, then I have homework and studying to do. Somehow I make it work.

[deeaimond]

was following this thread since it first came up and only now found the time to add on to it.

This whole work/life balance thing has been bugging me since I started working. Here in SG the work culture is pretty overwhelming. even as a teacher I'm working all the time. I teach the afternoon session, but most days I'm in school by 9, doing 'stuff' and school session starts about 12, and schoolday ends at 7. then i head home, cook and eat, pack my lunch for the next day and do an hour or 2 of marking/grading. sleep, repeat the next day.

I can't seem to find the time or mental energy to go ride my bike, or even have a short run. end of the day is hard coz i'm so tried and hungry my eyes don't even look straight, not a good time to be riding. I sleep about 12 every night, more often than not 1, so i wake at 7 and by then its peak hour traffic. Also I find it hard to motivate myself if there is no destination. I used to have a 14km commute 2 ways, now its more like... 5km... i barely start perspiring and I'm already there. I don't commute everyday also, because soemtimes i need to bring back stacks of books or I need to go really early at 7am. So I take a taxi. It's a walkable distance but then i feel bad spending 45 mins walking when i have a pile of work to do (also its usually walking home and I'm just starving)

I know it just sounds like a bunch of excuses. But i'm just plain exhausted. Weekends I try to ride at least once, but then i have more work, and sometimes i need to go out, meet friends etc.

the lack of exercise makes me more stressed coz i have nowhere to vent physically, and i just keepputting on weight as well, no surprise there.

I dunno, but i think work can be pretty demanding and the exercise time hard to find.

I'm still perservering, trying to commute at least 4 times a week. and saving all the heavy stuff for the one day when i take a cab. I try to walk more. Bf's buying me an ipod nano (the new one yay!) so i have a new toy to take running. I am trying to sleep earlier and wake up earlier so i can squeeze in a run. I hope it all works out. (that said, i've been trying for 7 weeks or so without much success... theres always something to blindside the best laid plans)

[lph]

deeaimond, your schedule sounds horrific!

Not to sound flip, but can this help?

trailer for heavy books +
something easy to eat (raisins/nuts/banana) available at all times
= commute every day = more energy and stress relief

You really need to find some way to refill your energy stores, not just deplete them.

[deeaimond]

deeaimond, your schedule sounds horrific!

Not to sound flip, but can this help?

trailer for heavy books +
something easy to eat (raisins/nuts/banana) available at all times
= commute every day = more energy and stress relief

You really need to find some way to refill your energy stores, not just deplete them.

It is pretty horrific.. and here people still think teachers have an easy life 'but you have such long holidays!!!!' (we only get 6 weeks a year.. compared to other teachers in other countries...and no annual leave, but i digress)

I didn't know what was really in store for me when i joined teaching. I think alot of my friends cope because they either have parents or domestic helpers at home to handle the housework. I live in a household of grownups but my youngest brother is a slob and its a struggle to keep common spaces clean.

Yup, I have lots of wheat crackers, fruit bars etc under my desk. I even eat in class in front of the kids, sometimes I'm that desperate. But dinner its like i just want something hot and dinnerlike. maybe i should just force down a fruit bar and go for a ride... then go home and have a.... egads! late dinner?

Another reason why I cab in to school some days is because my school has a rather strict teacher dress code. I am only allowed to wear PE attire (track pants, no shorts) on days i teach PE. So on the other days I need to change. On some days i literally cannot afford the time to change. Hence.. get dressed at home and then take a cab.

Thanks for your tip LPH, its not flip at all, its a good reminder and it helps to sound all the options out...

[shootingstar]

lph's advice for deeiamond is useful.

In my last job, I had a daily 80-km. commute --by a combination of bike, transit (with bike), bus and then 15-min. walk (after stopping midway on train ride to park bike at a paid locker). I did this for nearly 3 yrs. which meant leaving the house at 5:15 am. Didn't get home until after 7:30 pm....if I included my partial bike ride home from bike locker (13 kms.). I operated in partial denial that 1-way commute was over 1.5 hrs. It was the only way I could cope psychologically yet remain healthy.

But this did become harder in the winter where here we get alot of rain/not much snow. Winter months I never saw what the outdoor landscape looked like outside our home balcony. I left and came home in darkness.

I strongly feel that although the commuting ride might feel short /is shorter than previous rides, keep at it. It does make a difference long term for physical and mental health. It did for me...to survive the circumstances of my temporary contract job and long hrs.

And I stopped beating myself up at that time for not having enough cycling time during the work weekdays ...because 'lack of time' is just a point in time. A person's life changes if a person initiates the action in future.

For last 6 months, I've been making up for lost daily cycling that I lost in those years.

As for work dominating our life, yes I agree it does. But from my sister-doctor when she said good-bye to me last week: I see it all the time, a person dies suddenly. Just like that. (she works in emergency services at a hospital)

Just squeeze in your life the things you truly love to do.

[deeaimond]

I think the most important statement thus far,

Just squeeze in your life the things you truly love to do.

Hugs,
D