Journal Day #5

Journal Day #5 - Challenges
Prompt:  We all encounter challenges on a daily basis.  You may consider yours something small, like having enough time in the day to accomplish everything you set out to do, or it may be a bit bigger - perhaps something you have to overcome mentally or emotionally, or even a struggle when dealing with a difficult person.  Whatever the case, take a look at your daily life - what would you say is the biggest challenge you deal with?  Or if you have a past struggle you were able to overcome, how did you do it?  This week, write about a challenge you currently deal with on a day to day basis, or discuss one you managed to get past.

I think it depends on the day.  Some days it's just challenge after challenge (or at least feels that way).  Other days I'm amazed to find things just come together.  I know my biggest challenge is time management, it's been an ongoing battle for me.

My day starts at about 5:30, usually with a snooze or two (depending on how poorly I slept), and then it's up and out the front door to walk with my husband.  Ideally we are supposed to be walking for 45 minutes, but my bad joints make that hard especially when it's cold out.  I'm okay for about 30-35, so I'm getting closer!  After walking it's hop in the shower and get dressed.  Then I go down and put the kettle on for the luscious brown liquid of life (aka coffee, french press brewed), feed the cat (because she gets mad if I don't get to it fast enough) and I get breakfast going.  I usually get about 40-60 minutes of time with my husband before he has to head up to his office.  We'll fix our coffee and I'll pack my lunch somewhere in there.  Then when he goes up to start work, I head up to my office to write for 20-30 minutes.  After that I have to head off to work.  Work is about 7 hours and then sometimes I run errands on my way home (bank, grocery store, pick up dinner).  Then I get to be home and my husband makes dinner (or we cook together; sometimes I'll cook but usually he does).  We eat and I take care of dishes/clean up and he will channel surf or got out and get some workshop time.  If we have TV that night we'll watch TV together, if there is no TV on or anything recorded on the DVR we'll watch a movie or he'll grab some additional workshop time.  I try to write, surf Facebook/Pinterest, or sometimes I'll play World of Warcraft (I'm not addicted, I can quit anytime).  9:30-10 o'clock rolls around and it's bed time.  Rinse and repeat.

There is a lot of time in my day that is not home with my husband.  I married him because I enjoy being around him, and I believe he feels the same because I know there are times he really wants to be in his workshop but ends up doing something with me.  On our weekends there is some cleaning, laundry, and things I just can't be bothered with during the week.  We also spend more time together, but so much of it feels like recovering from the week that it just blows by.

The way I deal with time management is I try to prioritize; my husband helps me.  We communicate about what needs to get done, what is most important to get done and how we can get it done together.  Knowing it's not something I have to battle alone makes it better, and helps keep me motivated to do the things I need to do so we can enjoy our down time.

Thank you for the prompt Sometimes Sweet!