What is your perfect day?
by Aileen Journey
So much to do, so little time
When thinking of goals there is a tendency to think big. Think of everything you could ever possibly want, big. But really most of our lives are small. We get every day and do things. Many of these things are things we have to do. We have to take care of our children and our homes and doing what we need to earn a living and most of us have a myriad of other little things we have to do. I have to maintain a suburban yard (lots of lawn mowing) and a car. I also have many friendships that I like to maintain. All of this takes a lot of time and energy. It’s little wonder many of us don’t have the energy left to create major goals or consider that we have enough time to make them happen.
Overworked parents can get what they want too
You are the people I’m talking to, though. I have small children and more responsibilities than I generally want at any given time. I always have to make sure that I have, not only food in the house, the right food that the kids will eat. I have to make sure that they have appropriate clothes to wear and some kind of entertainment that can keep them safe and out of my hair for moments at a time. In addition, of course, I have to pay for housing and food and clothes and lots of other things. Goals seem like an issue far down the list.
Happy kids and a happy mom????
What I started to focus on, though, was what I wanted for my day. I always have my responsibilities, but was there a way I could do what needed to be done in a way that was most comfortable to me? I love my kids. I want happy kids and a happy mom. I wondered if that was possible.
I considered what kind of day to day life I wanted that could be fit in with the one that I needed to have. I used to leave at 6:20 in the morning to get to my teaching job. The kids were still asleep. They had to go to daycare in the morning. I wanted to be home in the morning. I wanted to put them on the bus in the morning. I then wanted to do what I wanted to do during the day. I’m one of thse people whose not real great at being stuck somewhere. I don’t do busy work well. I feel somewhat trapped and uncomfortable, even when it’s a job I like. I wanted to have the flexibility to have to get my work done, but in whatever setting and at whatever time I wanted.
What I wanted for my day
those were the biggest things for me. I’m a highly productive person, but that often means I’m at a job for many hours longer than is required for me to get all my work done. I hate just sitting around, not able to do other things I wanted to do. Now I earn money by teaching college online. I have certain tasks that are required every day. When they’re done, they’re done. I tend to get up between 5:00 and 6:00 in the morning and do most of it before the kids get up. I’m a morning person, that’s what works for me. I then have a variety of writing-career goals to do. I do them through the day as I feel like it. I travel around on my bike to different places that I want to hang out. I go to libraries and coffee shops and even parks that have WiFi. I even sneak into my bedroom to watch a TV show when I want to. This is the kind of day I wanted.
What do you want for your day?
If you have difficulty coming up with big goals, consider just what you want for your day? Is there a place you’d like to spend most days? Are there people you’d prefer to be with? What is your style of working? Are you best at getting things done on your own or do you prefer the company of others and external deadlines?
Big Goals
Big goals and big passions are great. I’m always inspired when I hear about people who have been able to turn their lives over completely to achieve their pinpointed dreams. But for those of us who have achieved many of our smaller dreams, like marriage and children and homes, we have very little space left for other things, but we should still be able to dream and strive. Strive on the side, strive for the small things that will make you happy. There are ways to reorganize and reconsider our lives to make these things happen too.
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