How to "Schedule" One's Sanity

(1) Write out your schedule for the whole week

(2) Highlight what is written-in-stone cannot be canceled or rescheduled

(3) Cross out what can be tossed if and when necessary

(4) Leave alone (or highlight in a different color) what is necessary but forever flexible

(5) Allot a certain period each day/night for quiet downtime.

(6) Make sure there is one day in your schedule that you are home and uncommitted to the "outside" world.

(7) Guarantee one part of your day (morning, night, or both) for meditative prayer and spiritual reading.

EXAMPLE using my schedule this coming week:

SUNDAY

Church
Prepare for elementary and jr. high history classes
Wash bedding (this got done today because husband stepped up to the plate)
Make sure dance clothes are washed and packed in dance bag
Chicken and potatoes in bacon sauce

MONDAY
Co-op classes (this defines our whole day...usually nothing else is allowed to be scheduled this day)
Soccer @ 6 PM (Only if ride is available---UPDATE: 2 members of family not feeling up to par so we deleted this from our agenda...very nice to slip out of our public face and threads and stay home :-)
Menu---chili dogs

TUESDAY
Kids started with school work
Office  (I try to go in at least 2 hours every Tues., Wed., and Thurs.,...as I make my own hours this is easily changed, rescheduled to morning or afternoon or crossed out all-together depending on my family's needs and activities)
4:30 Ballet (Annie) and Drums (Chelsea)
6 Hip Hop (Annie)
Check over school work (I try to do this daily...3 times weekly keeps schoolwork going smoothly...I am not panicking over it on Tuesday...most of the time it gets done on a daily basis)
Menu---Tamale Pie

WEDNESDAY
Kids---school work
CCD work day (the one day written-in-stone)
1 PM Come, Lord Jesus Bible Study (I love this time...it truly blesses and nourishes me but it comes in 3rd place next to my family and CCD work...I love that it's flexible and I can join in whenever I have or need the time)
CCD classes
Menu---Steak in crockpot (if I forget or don't have time to put something in crockpot, my family blesses me...either husband, one of my daughters or my future daughter-in-law cooks for the family)

THURSDAY
Kids---schoolwork
DRE Meeting 9:30 AM (I enjoy these meetings, learn so much, and get to exchange thoughts and ideas with other DREs...it is only once a month so I haven't missed one yet...not mandatory so I can skip if necessary which means there's no-pressure to attend...I like that!)
Check over school work (if, by some freak occurance, I have not been able to check over their daily work and do corrections, it is now time to panic...this would be the day it becomes mandatory to look over their school work if I have skipped any of the other days)
Yearbook Party (fun with friends) 3:30-5:30 PM (though this could be canceled if I find myself overwhelmed by the end of the day, it isn't a good idea since the children need this outting and, frankly, I need the connection with friends too. :-)
Jazz @ 6 PMMenu---Beef Stroganoff

FRIDAY
Schoolwork with the kids
Movies @ 1:30 (Maybe)
Soccer @ 6 PM
Menu---??? (frozen pizza if necessary)

SATURDAY
Day of Rest
Menu---??? (husband usually anoints his fabulous cast iron pot)

SUNDAY
Church
Godbaby's 1st birthday party  (cannot miss 1st birthday parties or the chance to see my handsome little man)
Menu---Birthday Cake!
 
Inbetween I do the things that have to be done but, at some point, are flexible enough and can be manuevered and dictated to others so I have changed them to pink-highlight rather than the yellow which cannot be moved or dictated to others.

• laundry (I can zap this down to twice weekly if need be and the older children do their own laundry which helps),
• quick clean-ups (extremely questionable...I usually do this at night before going to bed and that holds my sanity but, if I am feeling rushed, harried, or too tired; I have been known to do a one-day-mass clean-up on the weekend and ignore it Monday-Friday though extremely rare),
• feed and water chickens (strangely I find this a very relaxing chore...love my chickens),
• supervise dishes (I have a sanity issue with my kitchen sink...this chore belongs to my daughters but I have to stay on top of them as the younger two have an adversity to icky, gooy, slimy, moldy food upon dishes...it isn't practical to go the whole week without baptizing my sink periodically),
• chauffeur (this includes dealing with the logistics of getting older children to help with the younger ones, where they need to be and picking them up if necessary),
• shop (delegate to licensed drivers in household if necessary...though truly something written in stone, the reason I've crossed it out is because as long as I get to the store once a week for the bulk shopping I can usually dictate shopping the rest of the week or survive on what's in the pantry),
• try to keep everyone happy, happy, happy (again questionable...some days just aren't that happy and it's impossible for me to keep every single person in this household HAPPY on a 24/7 schedule...I think I deserve an "A" for effort ;-),

*****

Facebook Status from August 17:

"Sometimes you have to tell your children 'No' simply to preserve your sanity and, while it makes them very unhappy, they need to realize that their need for happiness is co-dependant on Momma's need for sanity."

*****

• pray, pray, pray (mandatory),
• before bed always have spiritual reading time (like I said here ----->). Can't live without it!