Sometimes life gets busy and we don’t realize just how busy until we’re overwhelmed. How about regaining order in your life as the fall approaches?

I love to be busy, to start projects, to write, to be involved in ministry, to spend time with friends and family. I’m very social and love to be at any and all events!

It’s not hard to get me excited about something new. As a result, my schedule is usually pretty full. Recently it had been getting much too full causing me to become overwhelmed and very unproductive. As a single woman, preparing for marriage and motherhood, I'm realizing that building good habits in the area of scheduling, will not only help me now but will be a valuable skill once I am a wife and mother.

I'm still working on trying to balance my days better, some weeks are better than others, but these are some things I've been trying to implement

Accept Your Current Limitations

The first thing I had to come to grips with was my current limitations. It’s easy for me to think in terms of what I think I should be able to handle or what I could handle at a different time in my life. I had to realize that how much I can handle right now is what I need to focus on. Different seasons of life, different circumstances, health issues, etc. all come into play. We’ve got to adjust and trust that God has a unique purpose for this particular time in our life, planning accordingly.

Remember Your Roles

I’ve heard my grandfather preach many times about being good stewards of our time. When talking about bringing order to our lives he recommends writing down a list of all of your roles in order of importance. For example, Christian, wife, mother, church member, friend, Bible study leader etc...

My roles will look different than yours and our roles will change some over time. That’s why it’s good to do a periodic evaluation. Writing down our roles in order of importance and then the responsibilities that come from them will help us shape a proper schedule. It will help bring to light which things are “musts” and which are “extras”.

Schedule Your Week

After we’ve defined our roles and responsibilities it’s a great idea to use a schedule. I have a calendar on my laptop that allows me to schedule out my day by the hour. For me, this is SO helpful. I’ve started scheduling everything from when to do my devotions and pray to how long I’ll plan to spend blogging each day. I try to plan my week on Mondays. I put in all of the musts on the schedule and then I look to see if there is time for some of the extras. I’m trying to keep in mind my current limitation and not overcrowd myself. I’m starting to say “no” or “wait” to more things instead of getting caught up in the moment and finding myself overwhelmed again.

Plan Your Rest

Do you ever feel guilty for taking a break? If don’t feel productive or busy I struggle with feeling that way. I’m beginning to realize that rest actually makes me more productive and able to do things well. I’ve begun leaving room for downtime during the week and once a month I’ve started scheduling an entire day of rest. This has helped tremendously. I feel much more ready to face the world and I’ve even noticed that having time to clean my mind greatly boosts my creativity!

I’m still working on all of this, experimenting and taking notes on what makes me feel overwhelmed and what is a good balance for this time in my life. I’m realizing that life doesn’t slow down on its own. If I want to feel productive yet free to enjoy life, I have to be the one to do something about it.

The changing of the seasons symbolizes a fresh start for me. This Fall I'm going to be more intentional with my scheduling. Join me?

How about you? What are you doing to regain order and a more balanced life at the start of this new season?

Blessings,
Ashley