Category: Not So Busy

It’s September, and the start of the school year can definitely be a hectic time for many people, and for some, it’s just the beginning of a whole long year of events and activities. Many parents start the school year thinking, “Maybe this year will be a little less busy!”. Some ask themselves, “How can we do things differently this year?”. Then the year begins, and somehow it’s like all the other years…it’s busy.

I want to share one simple thing you can do to make this school year a little less busy.

Are you ready? It’s simple.

If you want to be just a little less busy this school year, stop looking at everyone else!!

How often do we look at everyone else? All the time!

Now I think you might know what I mean by “looking at everyone else”. If not, let me explain. You see, we spend a lot of time looking at what other families are doing. We notice what they are involved in, how they spend their time, and how they fill their calendars. We chat with other moms, and we learn all about what is going on in their social life. We overhear the parents at the bus stop talking about all the extracurricular activities their children are involved in this school year. We scroll through Facebook and notice all the fun outings our friends and neighbors are taking each weekend. We’re looking at everyone else.

Yes, we’re looking at everyone else, and it’s making us busy. Why? We think we need to do what we see or hear everyone else doing.

But here’s a wonderful, freeing truth: You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. You’re not them, and they’re not you.

In order to be just a little less busy you need to consider your priorities, and use those to shape your families’ choices. We tend to let other people choose for us. We often make our decisions based on what we see others doing without much thought about what might be best for our situation and our family.

I find so much inspiration and encouragement from other moms and other families; I think that it is good to learn from others. I love chatting with other moms and finding out how they run their homes or how they tackle various problems (both big and small). I cherish the time I get to spend with my friends sharing stories and finding out about their family life.

Let’s learn from each other, let’s grow and be challenged, but let’s not mindlessly make certain choices for our family just because that’s what we see everyone else doing.

Almost everyone else around us looks busy…and they are. Perhaps you can choose another way. Maybe you and your family can pursue the full life (without all the busy).

Take this school year and really look inside. Look inside your heart (considering your priorities and values). Look inside your home (considering the needs of you and your family). Stop looking at everyone else and just see if perhaps this school year can be a little less busy.

What about you? What are you doing this school year to make it less busy for you and your family? I would love to hear from you, so drop me a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa

 

How often have you heard someone say (and that someone might be you), “Everyone is just so busy!” or “We’re all just busy people!”? I know I certainly hear it all the time. Busy has almost become a buzz word of sorts. But why all the busy? Is this just a reality of the world we live in? Can we truly be “not so busy” in this day and age? Why are we busy people in a busy world?

I think the answers to these questions are multilayered, but I also think there are some very basic reasons someone might be busy.

Today I am sharing 5 reasons you might be busy.

1. You like to go, go, go.

I have heard plenty of people say, “I like to keep busy!”. Some people love to be involved in a wide variety of activities and enjoy attending numerous events. Many people love to get involved and get their children involved in as much as they can. I don’t know that a “keeping busy” lifestyle is all bad (and I’m not going to say it’s all good), but I do think that there is a place to check this tendency because it could mean that…

2. You are afraid of the silence.

This might be the hardest reason of all 5 to write about. We are not people who like silence. In silence we are left alone with our own thoughts. In silence we have to face the truth. Some of us don’t want to think about our purpose in life or even our purpose in a given day. Many of us are running from pain and anxiety, so we fill up our days with a bunch of to-do lists in the hopes of escaping the silence.

3. You have a hard time saying no.

If you struggle with saying no (and this is a struggle of mine) than you will quickly find yourself being busy in a wide variety of areas. It can be hard to say no because we feel like we are going to disappoint or hurt someone. We want to please those around us, so we say yes without much consideration of our priorities. Saying yes when we should be saying no can lead to a very busy life.

4. Everyone around you is busy.

I believe busy is contagious. If everyone around you is busy or you perceive that everyone around you is busy than you might be tempted to jump on the busy train. If all the moms around you are talking about everything their children are participating in then you may feel that signing up for the same activities is just what you’ll have to do. You see the busy life of those around you and you, too, join in on it.

5. You don’t believe there is any other way.

If busy is what you see and busy is what you know than you might believe there is no other way. You might believe that busy is just the “name of the game”. You might think that in order to get through this thing called motherhood than you need to be busy and just be okay with that. You believe that “busy mom” is the title you will carry for years to come. It’s inevitable, and you just go with it. You believe there is no other way, and so you are busy.

Today’s post is not a post of solutions. You will find plenty of inspiration, ideas and encouragement in previous (and upcoming) posts, but I did want today’s post to prompt reflection in my readers. If you find yourself always busy, take some time to consider why. Read through this list and see if one of the reasons jumps out at you. If you’re hoping to make a change, read through my previous posts and stick around for more!

What about you? Do you know why you might be busy? I would love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “5 Reasons You Might Be Busy”

If you’re new to my blog or even if you’ve been following for awhile now, you might be thinking that this not so busy life is just a pie-in-the-sky kind of idea that sounds good but really isn’t possible. I promise you, it is more than just a dreamy idea. There are choices, both big and small, you can make to pursue a life that’s just a little less busy. The full life without all the busy will take effort on your part, but it will be worth it. A step in the right direction can even begin today!

Today I am sharing 5 ways you can be just a little less busy this week!

Take a walk.

Something happens when you (literally) walk away from your normal surroundings. You leave behind all those projects and tasks staring you in the face. You move away from a lot of the noise (both literal and figurative) and breathe in fresh air. Walking is a great way to clear your mind and think new thoughts. I try to walk or run each day for about 30 minutes. For me, this time consists of thinking, praying and listening to a few minutes of a podcast. I always return from my walk in a better frame of mind than when I headed out the door. Things that seemed urgent suddenly don’t seem that way anymore. Worries that weighed on my heart seem a little lighter. Take a walk this week, move away from the busy and return refreshed with a new perspective!

Have a play date with a friend.

We schedule play dates for our children, but what about us? We need time with friends, too. It’s funny how we can get so caught up in being busy and running here, there, and everywhere that we truly don’t make time for people. Schedule time with a friend this week. Meet for coffee (or if you’re like me, then meet for tea). Take a walk together. Maybe even try out a new restaurant. Keep it simple, but just do it. We need each other more than we need to get one more task done. Making time for a friend will benefit you and them.

Put down your phone.

Yes, the good old phone, sometimes it needs to be put down. Our phones are super helpful and fun for so many different reasons, but they are also a source of stress and busyness. I believe we have this fear of “missing out” if we aren’t checking our phone, but the truth is the exact opposite. Life is right in front of us, and we miss out on that life when we spend so much time staring at our phones. Leave the busyness of the online world this week, and enjoy the people and places surrounding you.

Cross one thing off your to-do list or calendar.

Go ahead, cross something off. And not because you completed it. Cross it off because you want to make a little more breathing room in your week. Cross it off, and add space to your week. Sometimes we try to jam as much as we can into one day, one week. Our calendar gets overstuffed, and we arrive at the weekend exhausted and cranky. Give yourself permission to make this week a little less busy by crossing one thing off your list or calendar!

Do something for someone else.

You might be thinking, “But doesn’t that just make me more busy?”. Yes…and no. You see, as much as we hate to admit it, much of our busyness focuses on ourselves and our families. That’s not all bad, but it’s not all good either. Sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves and our own situations that we forget those around us. This week make some muffins for a neighbor. Send a note of encouragement to your friend. Bring a meal to the new family in town. You’ll notice that all of a sudden all of your pressing tasks won’t seem so pressing when the focus is outward instead of inward.

Choose 1 (or all 5) of these this week, and see if you find a little more space in your life. Here’s to a week (and a life) that’s just a little less busy!!

What about you? Did anything on this list strike you today? What will you do to make this week a little less busy? I would love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a comment below!

Until next time,

Charissa

Continue reading “5 Ways to be Just a Little Less Busy This Week”

“It’s been a busy season.”

“What a busy season!!”

“Sorry, it’s been such a busy season.”

“We’re just coming out of a really busy season.”

These are all things you have probably heard people say or perhaps you have said them.

I would define a “busy season” as a period of time that is marked by a greater-than-normal number of activities and/or events. It’s definitely a term that is thrown around a lot. The term is probably used correctly, but it tends to lose its meaning when used frequently.

You see, a busy season is supposed to be a period of time, but it seems as though these periods of time are becoming longer and longer and merging into one another.

I just recently heard a mom talk about the craziness of the spring and stopped to consider her words. I was very curious to hear why she ultimately referred to the spring as “crazy busy”.  She went on to describe the increase in activities, invites, and events at the end of the school year. Everything she said did reflect a crazy time of the year, but I had to pause and wonder…

What about the fall? Don’t people consider the fall, the start of the school year, busy?

What about the months leading up to the holidays? Those are crazy. Right?

Oh, yes, and then the actual holidays, those are definitely busy. That’s what everyone says.

Then there are those few months after the holiday season. Can we call those “less busy”? Maybe.

Oh, now we’re back to spring. Crazyville.

Summer. That’s a slow time. Right?…I think so. I hope so.

Then when digging deeper we realize that we often call life with little ones a busy season. When our kids start going to school we enter another busy season. Life with teenagers is often labeled as busy.

Do you see? One busy season quickly leads to another.

There have been and will be busy seasons in life (although it’s not something I’m aiming for). I just don’t want one busy season to lead to a bunch of busy seasons which leads to an overall busy life. I do not want to get to the end of my life, look back, and remember my life as busy.

If you feel like every season of life is a busy season then I believe you have 2 choices: 1) Stop the craziness (aka the busyness) or 2) Stop calling everything you do “busy”. Life is full of events and activities, people and projects, opportunities to serve and needs to meet. We don’t have to label it all as busy. Sometimes we call busy that which is simply life.

Make sure your next busy season doesn’t morph into a busy year and before you know it a busy life. Live your life, to the full, but don’t forget to let go of some of that busy.

What about you? What are you doing to make sure your busy seasons remain for just a season? I would love to hear from you, so leave me a comment below!!

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “When a Busy Season becomes a Busy Life”

We have had many rainy days this spring which means plenty of time indoors. I can appreciate the rainy days as an adult, but children can sometimes get a bit antsy when cooped up (especially when there is a long stretch of gray, wet days). If you’re looking for a little rainy day inspiration, keep reading!

Today I am sharing 10 ways for kids to enjoy a rainy day.

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links.)

1. Create an Art Gallery

Gather your kids around the kitchen table, pull out various art supplies, and let the creative juices flow. My children love to listen to music while they work on their art. I find that even my more reluctant artist is focused and content when enjoying a little background music. After completing their work, the children can display it in a room, and this becomes the art gallery. My children will usually make one of the bedrooms the gallery, and then invite people to come view (and even purchase) their pictures. The “visitors” are usually just my husband and/or me, but they are always delighted to have us see what they have created and displayed. They are also happy to take our money!

2. Listen to an Audio Book

I have shared my love for audio books when it comes to ending car squabbles. Audio books are also a good option for a rainy day. Have your children gather blankets and pillows to cozy-up while listening to a delightful story. My children will sometimes build with their LEGOs or maybe even create art (see idea #1) while enjoying an audio book. The options for books are endless, but some of our favorite listens include anything by Beverly Cleary.

3. Put Together a Puzzle

Puzzles are a great brain workout! Puzzles are a good option because you can find one to meet the skill level of whoever is in your home. We have a basket of puzzles, and I like to keep them in the attic, and then pull them out unexpectedly (like on a rainy day). A little background music or audio book (see #2) while completing the puzzle makes the process even more enjoyable.

4. Have a Dance Party

My kids love to dance, so they are always super excited when we say “let’s have a dance party”! Rainy days are a great excuse for a dance party. Play their favorite songs, and let them show off their new moves. Watching my kids dance is pure entertainment. They are also most delighted when Mom & Dad join the fun! Dancing gets their hearts pumping and puts a smile on everyone’s face.

5. Read & Write Poetry

Use the weather to inspire a little reading and writing. I love sharing poems with my children. Most kids love the poetry found in Shel Silverstein’s books, so begin by reading something by him or whoever you find inspiring and delightful. Then encourage your children to become poets. They could even compile their pieces into one book adding a cover and illustrations.

6. Bake Something

Invite your kids into the kitchen to bake a tasty treat. I think chocolate chip cookies or banana muffins are some of the easiest and tastiest options. Baking is a great way to spend time together, and it’s also beneficial for developing reading and math skills. Take your activity one step further by sharing some of your goodies with a neighbor or friend. We often like to bring extra baked goods to our neighbors, and they are always very appreciative of the gesture.

7. Make Time for Design

Kids love to build and design. They can take opportunity for even more of that on a rainy day. LEGOs are always a good option as is something like Magna Tiles or Brain Flakes (which are a big favorite of my children). Old cardboard boxes and other recycling materials also make for great design materials. If there is space to display their designs, then let that happen for the day. If space is tight (or they want their creation to remain for weeks), take a picture. My children are always very eager to have a photo taken of whatever they create.

8. Go on a Scavenger Hunt

Kids love a scavenger hunt! It doesn’t have to be complicated (unless you want it to be), and if you have an older child, they might enjoy creating it for younger siblings. Create clues that lead them throughout the house on the hunt for a final prize. The final prize can be something as simple as a special snack (see #6) or perhaps a mug of hot chocolate. It gets them moving, reading, and working together!

9. Play Board Games or Card Games

The options for board games and card games are endless. Again, I like to keep many of ours in the attic, and then pull them out on a rainy day. An “old” game becomes “new” when a child hasn’t seen it in months. Some of our favorite board games include Trouble, Sorry! & Guess Who?. My kids love the card games found in this set & they are also big fans of Spot It. Our local library even has a large display of various games that you can borrow just like you would a book!

10. Play in the Rain

Yes, it might be raining, but you don’t have to spend all your time indoors (unless it’s torrential). Grab umbrellas & boots and enjoy some fresh air! Kids are beyond excited to have permission to play out in the rain. This is definitely something I need to be better about allowing them to do because simple play is fun play.

I hope the ideas shared here have inspired you! Bring on the rain!!

What about you? What do your kids like to do when it rains? I would love to hear your ideas, so leave me a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa

 

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links. Thank you for supporting the blog!)

Is your calendar jam-packed? What about your closet? Are your days filled to the brim leaving you tired and stressed out? Is your child’s play space stuffed with…well, stuff?

Space, both literal and figurative, can be hard to come by. Maybe we don’t see it as important. Perhaps we don’t think it is possible. But I believe space can and should be a part of life.

Today I am sharing 3 reasons to make space in your life.

You Can Rest

When you make space in your life, you can rest. Some might say rest is overrated. In this culture of go-go-go, rest can seem a bit unproductive. And I suppose it is; that’s the point.

For some, rest truly is a struggle, but a lot of good can come from rest. Our bodies heal, our minds stay sharp, our moods improve, and we have energy for whatever lies before us. When we rest we can do the things we need to do and do them well.

Space allows time for rest. When your schedule has space you can sit and rest. When your day isn’t crammed with activities from start to finish you can go to bed early and rest. A home with more space than stuff also allows opportunity for rest.

You Can Say Yes

I talk a lot about saying yes and saying no. Sometimes we have to say no in order to say yes. Some people say yes too often and burn themselves out. Some people say no too often and miss out on opportunities and life all around them. I believe the full life is about saying yes to your priorities and no to those things that simply clutter up your life. The beautiful thing about allowing for space in your life is that you can say yes when others have to say no.

I had a friend recently ask if I could help with watching her kids for a bit. I agreed. She then switched the time for when I would be watching them and asked if that was ok. I said that yes, the change in time also worked for me. She mentioned after that exchange that she thought I was one of the most flexible people she knows. I certainly think that I could be much more flexible in life, but I understood and appreciated what she was saying. The space in my life allowed me to say yes. I love being able to say yes to people especially when it is unexpected.

When your home has space (think less stuff), you can say yes to more time with your children. You can say yes to exploring the outside world because the inside (of your home) doesn’t need your constant attention.

You Can Appreciate More

If you have 50 shirts filling your closet you probably pull one out and think, “Where did this come from?” or, “I don’t even like this.”.  If you only have a dozen shirts in your closet, you can see and value each piece. You appreciate what you have because what you have is not being overwhelmed by all your other items.

The same is true in our daily lives. A day overstuffed with activities makes it hard to appreciate those 24 hours. You might be too busy running here and there to truly notice what you are doing and why you are doing it. Space in your day allows for appreciation. You can appreciate the people who are around you because you have time to be with them and cultivate relationships. You can appreciate the activities you choose to participate in because you aren’t worn down and stressed out by trying to do everything everyone tells you to do.

Making space is a simple concept, but perhaps not always an easy task. If you keep in mind some of the reasons for making space, you might be more encouraged and motivated to do it. Make some space in your life; I think you’ll be glad you did.

What about you? How are you making space in your life? I would love to hear from you, so leave a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa

 

Continue reading “3 Reasons to Make Space in Your Life”