Welcome to my very first blog post!
I'm a control freak. I've been a control freak all of my life. I know how I like things and I like to plan for those things to happen, when I want them to happen.
Recently I've discovered it's a difficult life to live when you have three small children. Perhaps I should have discovered it when I had twins, but I think back then the routine and planning made my life easier.
In saying that, organising and planning my life to a certain extent does still make it easier! It's a fine balance I've found. If I'm too uptight about when things should happen I end up cranky and no one wants to hang out with me, especially my kids. If I don't schedule in a few tasks for the day and have a comprehensive to do list, nothing ever gets done.
Lack of motivation is a key signal of a depressive episode for me, so I need to be careful not to let a couple of lazy days drag on.
Each Sunday I sit down and write a list of what I want to achieve in the next week. I have a lot on my plate, so it also helps me remember to take care of all my responsibilities as well as to take time to keep myself well. I also have a running to do list of bigger projects I want to complete (the baby quilt I've been working on for six years and if only I spent a few hours on I'd finish, to wash the windows, all those big one off kinds of things). Each week I try to take something off this list as well as allocating time for exercise, doing work for our home business, keeping on top my my volunteer position in a local club, hanging out with my kids and some form of hobby for myself. At a different time of year I'd put in some time to spend with my husband, but as we're in the middle of calving at the moment, any time I get to see him when he isn't asleep is a bonus.
Each day I then break down this list to a daily to do list and include all the boring jobs I need to do every day to keep our house running, the dishes, the washing, making the beds. I do this kind of as a reminder and also because it just feels good to cross something easy off the to do list!
So as you can see, I'm still a stickler for organising and planning my life. It keeps me motivated and helps get things done.
On the other hand, I used to force myself out of bed at 6am and straight onto the treadmill to fit in my exercise before any children woke up. Which they always did before I was finished and showered anyway. In recent months I've just decided to let that go. I can do my running when I put baby down for her morning nap. The twins are old enough to know not to touch the treadmill when it's going. Plus, they always like a little turn after I'm finished. And for my strength exercises that I do at home, they do them with me (with very poor form, but it's amusing at least).
I've also decided to let some other things go, I try to keep the main areas of our house tidy. Ok, I try to have them tidy for the evening after the children are in bed. But some nights, like last night I didn't bother, because sure enough 7am came and they were back into it. Their room is also a mess. I'm trying to not let it bother me. At some stage I'll have to help them tidy it a little bit otherwise they won't be able to find their beds. But I'm not bothering to spend time in there every day tidying it. And I let my baby crawl outside (straight into a puddle) to explore, which I don't really remember letting the twins do at her age (I'm terrified of small stones, sticks, plants etc. She eats everything!) in fact my baby gets to do much I don't remember the twins doing. I guess it's that thing where the parent's given up stressing so much about the third child.
On the whole, I'm just trying to be a little less uptight. If the kids are doing something I don't particularly approve of, but they're having a good time and not going to harm anything or anyone, I try to let it go. It takes a few deep breaths but usually I get there (if I don't I end up shouting, which isn't fun for anyone, but I'm still working on that).
Like I said, it's a fine balance, but it's working for me for now. Plus I'm really enjoying being allowed to sleep in until the kids wake me up with warm snuggly cuddles instead of getting up before the sun to run!
I'm a control freak. I've been a control freak all of my life. I know how I like things and I like to plan for those things to happen, when I want them to happen.
Recently I've discovered it's a difficult life to live when you have three small children. Perhaps I should have discovered it when I had twins, but I think back then the routine and planning made my life easier.
In saying that, organising and planning my life to a certain extent does still make it easier! It's a fine balance I've found. If I'm too uptight about when things should happen I end up cranky and no one wants to hang out with me, especially my kids. If I don't schedule in a few tasks for the day and have a comprehensive to do list, nothing ever gets done.
Lack of motivation is a key signal of a depressive episode for me, so I need to be careful not to let a couple of lazy days drag on.
Each Sunday I sit down and write a list of what I want to achieve in the next week. I have a lot on my plate, so it also helps me remember to take care of all my responsibilities as well as to take time to keep myself well. I also have a running to do list of bigger projects I want to complete (the baby quilt I've been working on for six years and if only I spent a few hours on I'd finish, to wash the windows, all those big one off kinds of things). Each week I try to take something off this list as well as allocating time for exercise, doing work for our home business, keeping on top my my volunteer position in a local club, hanging out with my kids and some form of hobby for myself. At a different time of year I'd put in some time to spend with my husband, but as we're in the middle of calving at the moment, any time I get to see him when he isn't asleep is a bonus.
Each day I then break down this list to a daily to do list and include all the boring jobs I need to do every day to keep our house running, the dishes, the washing, making the beds. I do this kind of as a reminder and also because it just feels good to cross something easy off the to do list!
So as you can see, I'm still a stickler for organising and planning my life. It keeps me motivated and helps get things done.
On the other hand, I used to force myself out of bed at 6am and straight onto the treadmill to fit in my exercise before any children woke up. Which they always did before I was finished and showered anyway. In recent months I've just decided to let that go. I can do my running when I put baby down for her morning nap. The twins are old enough to know not to touch the treadmill when it's going. Plus, they always like a little turn after I'm finished. And for my strength exercises that I do at home, they do them with me (with very poor form, but it's amusing at least).
I've also decided to let some other things go, I try to keep the main areas of our house tidy. Ok, I try to have them tidy for the evening after the children are in bed. But some nights, like last night I didn't bother, because sure enough 7am came and they were back into it. Their room is also a mess. I'm trying to not let it bother me. At some stage I'll have to help them tidy it a little bit otherwise they won't be able to find their beds. But I'm not bothering to spend time in there every day tidying it. And I let my baby crawl outside (straight into a puddle) to explore, which I don't really remember letting the twins do at her age (I'm terrified of small stones, sticks, plants etc. She eats everything!) in fact my baby gets to do much I don't remember the twins doing. I guess it's that thing where the parent's given up stressing so much about the third child.
On the whole, I'm just trying to be a little less uptight. If the kids are doing something I don't particularly approve of, but they're having a good time and not going to harm anything or anyone, I try to let it go. It takes a few deep breaths but usually I get there (if I don't I end up shouting, which isn't fun for anyone, but I'm still working on that).
Like I said, it's a fine balance, but it's working for me for now. Plus I'm really enjoying being allowed to sleep in until the kids wake me up with warm snuggly cuddles instead of getting up before the sun to run!