One of my favorite vintage blogs is Lottie Loves, run by Brit-turned-California super-mom Lottie. One regular feature of her blog is Finishing School, where she alphabetically runs through goals and post challenges for her followers to complete. Since I'm late to the game, I am going to start posting backwards from the latest, starting with O and then try to catch up. She posts them one a month so if I'm on the ball I will catch up in no time!

Your Challenge:

You must make YOU the priority for one week. Give up something and spend at least 30 minutes of that time, each day, for a week, doing something you enjoy. In order to achieve this you need to be able to not do something, this may be difficult as it will inevitably involve not doing something for someone else but here are a few examples that might help you work out how you could find 30 minutes a day (at least) for yourself. Things you could drop for a day or two to free up some time:

- Making beds – It won’t hurt to leave them unmade. Better still, get the bed owner to make it themselves. Children as young as four can make their own bed.

- Ironing – leave for a while if you can, better still get your other half to do it. If he moans, send him over here – there is a huge result for them that will come out of this course, SEX! If you’re happier and more satisfied you will feel more sexy and inclined so it is well within their interests to give you ‘you time’! Something I am certain they won’t argue with ;-)

- Play dates/activities for kids – kids don’t need to do something every night and they can miss them occasionally. If it’s a toss between taking your child to an activity and sacrificing you time then for just one week have them miss it. Or perhaps you could arrange for someone else to do the drop off and collect? Your children need you to have me time so that they feel secure in the fact you want to be with them. Resentfully taking them here there and everywhere is not a positive experience for anyone.

- Ask a friend to share the school runs, this should be of benefit to both of you as it will free up a good hour of your time.

- Sign up for Spoonfed Suppers – I LOVE this free programme of meals and shopping list. It has revolutionised my week and freed up tonnes of time. In addition sign up for supermarket delivery. You can then just put in the weekly shopping list from Spoonfed and you’re done – fantastic!

Ask for support, delegate and say no more! This ‘doing things for you’ thing will feel alien and selfish at first and initially those around you might not be so keen either but eventually you will all see that it is well worth it and will pay off hugely.
Let me know if you have a happier week. I really hope so. Remember though, if this works, you need to carry on!

Juggling is definatley something that - as a journalist and blogger - I do too often. I seem to have something (that I love) to do every night, whether it's beer blogging, Rotaract or work. I also want need to start swimming again, which happens every evening at 8:30 - 9:30. Plus, somewhere in there I have to find time to clean the house.

BUT with my work schedule I get one day off in week one and three days off in week two, so it adds up to four days off in two weeks. Usually on a Thursday off I clean, bum around the house in my pajamas/cleaning clothes and head to Rotaract. Honestly, I like cleaning - I hate a messy house so it can often calm me down - so sometimes it feels like a little bit of me time. I have a tiny house too, so it doesn't take that long. One chore I hate is taking the recycling to the depot, but I just signed up for curbside recycling so the pressure's off!

I also don't cook (Thanks G!) so that takes some pressure off my days. Same with the lack of kiddlets. I don't make the bed on a regular basis and I only iron something if I plan on wearing it that day.

So basically, I'm doing all right! One thing I do want to start doing once a month is going to massages (see Finishing School: Posture) because it really does help me relax, plus it's good for my tense muscles.

All in all, I think I'm taking pretty good care of myself, especially once I start hitting the pool (once I find time, but that's for another finishing school post).