Most of my married life, I’ve been pregnant or nursing a baby.
It’s difficult to get much of anything done during the child-bearing years. Basic life essentials like nutrition and sleep become paramount priorities, as well they should.
Many dreams, aspirations and hobbies are put on the back burner for another season, and that’s okay. Yet, I want to share an experience I had about 10 years ago that changed my thinking about managing my time.
Pregnant with child #5, I was at a homeschool meeting one night. My three little boys, all under 8 and our 16 year-old daughter were at home with my husband while I was out. During a conversation with an older mom at the meeting, we got to talking about quilting. She was an avid quilter and was sharing about some of her projects. Jealously rose up within me as I longed to learn to quilt. However, I quickly came to terms once again in my mind that the season of life I was in just wouldn’t allow for it.
In my optimism, I had been saving fabric for quilting squares in my basement for a “someday” that never came. Actually, I had even started a little quilt, but never found the time to finish it. Frustrated with the thought of that fabric laying in my basement for another 20 years, I offered it to the woman. She said something very interesting to me that I never forgot.
“Don’t give away your fabric!” she said. ”If you keep waiting for a big, block of time to come along when the kids ‘grow up’, let me tell you now that it never comes. When the kids get older, life gets even busier. You need to do what interests you, little by little, even if you only have 15 minutes at a time“.
I kept the fabric.
Accomplishing tasks in a 15-minute time period isn’t a new concept. There has been much written for the business world about being more effective using 15 minute increments of time.
Being a busy mom isn’t quite the same as working in the corporate world, though. May my time management skills never resemble that of an office environment! However, over the years of being a wife and mother, I have come to realize that there is merit to this “15-minute” thing.
10-15 minute increments of time can actually work quite well in the busyness of small children and family life. There are a couple of things to keep in mind first:
*At home, you’re dealing with small humans (children) who cannot be rushed to fit into your schedule.
*Emotions don’t respond well to time limits and shouldn’t have to. If you are having a wonderful cuddle time with your child, forget the clock. Some things are way more important.
*This isn’t to emphasize how to squeeze more out of every minute, it’s about fitting more into the day you have.
There are many things as a mom that you may want to tackle but can’t find the time to do them. Take for example the quilting idea. If I wait for an evening to come where I’ll have hours to work on a project, I’ll be waiting for eternity. But, if I decide that for the next 15 minutes that I am going to do something having to do with quilting, that’s doable.
Perhaps I’ll look at a quilting book and get some ideas.
I could cut some squares.
I could sew a row together.
I could pin layers together.
See what I mean? Now, let me address the perfectionists (me!) who might struggle with not being able to finish something as quickly as you may like….get over it.
Coming to terms with the fact that you won’t be finishing as soon as someone else is critical, and I’ll admit that this was hard for me. Yet, if I wanted to have the opportunity to have a hobby during these years, that was just the way it had to be.
With scrapbooking, it’s truly 15 minutes at a time. One day, I might just sort through a file of pictures and decide what is worth keeping. The next time I have a chance to work on it, I might quickly choose my papers and embellishments. I have to get okay with laying it down, over and over again.
Finding a way to wrap up the project quickly is another key to being successful with this. If it’s one of those long-term projects, keep a file folder or a rubbermaid box to put all of your supplies in and put it away. That way, you can free the space up for more everyday tasks and not feel like a failure because you didn’t finish this time.
You will eventually finish! Taking longer to complete a project is better than never having started or talking yourself out of it altogether.
People often ask me how I get so much read and/or done. I use this method all the time. I read books 15 minutes at a time….seriously. I drag a small notebook and a book I’m working on around with me in the car, just in case I find myself waiting and have a few spare minutes.
One final point, your newly found 15 minute increments don’t necessarily have to be for tasking. Taking those moments for personal reflection, to build relationships or to pray are important as well. Make the time work for you.
What Can You Do in 15 Minutes?
1. Make some coffee.
2. Throw in some laundry.
3. Fold a load or two of laundry.
4. Plan a grocery list.
5. Read a book or two to a little one.
6. Scrub a bathroom.
7. Vacuum the house.
8. Make appointments by phone.
9. Work on a birthday list for a child.
10. Order something on-line.
11. Clear out your email box.
12. Read your favorite blog.
13. Start a pot of pasta for dinner.
14. Clean the bathroom mirrors.
15. Empty out the kid’s back packs.
16. Go out and turn your compost, then pull a few weeds.
17. Check the top-of-the-hour news.
18. Go milk a goat.
19. Empty the dishwasher and feed the dog.
20. Call your best friend and tell them that you are praying for them.
What else can you add?
All pictures from google images
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About kmorris
Machine quilting is very easy and you could quilt for 15 minutes if you wanted. Your children might want to do it also. I haven’t quilted in several years and I can’t think of my favorite quilt block right now, but I will go to the basement tomorrow and find it to tell you. It is so easy and it makes a beautiful quilt. Pretty darn quick.
Margaret
This is a great reminder. As I work on a time management budget AGAIN, I need to remember that it doesn’t need to be all or nothing.
Love your blog!
Hey Flamingo,
Thanks for your comment!
“All or nothing” is something I struggle with as well!
A great reminder and a great post! I too often find that being diligent with my little bits of spare time here and there produces a much more peaceful (and cleaner) home and kitchen by the end of the day! And I had to laugh when I saw point #18 (Go Milk a goat). Love it!
Thanks for sharing this with the Homestead Barn Hop!
Jill,
Thanks for your comment! I can’t wait to see how long it really takes to milk a goat, although I’m hearing about 10 minutes, once you know what you’re doing.
I love the 15 minute rule! Our two are teens now, and I find I still need to squeeze in 15 minutes or so to ” do me time”. I don’t quilt, but I garden and paint furniture, sew and read. All of these things enrich my creative soul… I could live without them, but I would not be living the creative life I want.
Great Post!
Deb from the Barn Hop today!
Hi Debbie,
You’re right that 15 minutes a day can give you a more enriching life, well put.
Thanks for commenting today!
This is such a good reminder!! I have gotten away from this and need to do it again because it really does work! And you’ve encouraged me to tackle a couple of sewing projects that I had just about given up on for lack of LARGE blocks of time. Now I think I can do it. Thank you!!
Thank you, Amy, I am just loving this Barn Hop!
My favorite and I think the easiest is the log cabin quilt. It is one of the Quilt in a Day books. They are great to start with. The log cabin is so simple and the blocks go together so quickly. They also lay very flat. Try it, I think you will enjoy it.
Margaret
(pasted from email)
Great idea! I can add:
Train your dog
Wash dishes
Clean out a drawer
Sort and rearrange a closet shelf
Skirt part of a fleece
Set a fleece to soak
Card some wool
Mop a floor
Collect and wash eggs
Start some seeds
Say the rosary
Hi Diane,
LOVE IT! Thank you!
I am embarrassed/mad at myself sometimes over a “big” job, that I sometimes put of for a LONG time….and then check when it’s done, how long it actually took me. There’s been a few that I put off for years, that then took under an hour. Hanging over my head for a year or more, when I could have had it taken care of in under 60 minutes. Maddening!
I don’t like emptying the dishwasher, but in truth it takes about 5 minutes. Perspective.
Jennifer,
If I could count the times I’ve done the same thing….
Oh, by the way, unloading the dishwasher does take hours and hours…I hate that chore too!
That’s funny as I have little post here and there of what I’ve done with “Take 10″ … clear out a clutter drawer, closet, etc. What you can’t get done in that time frame will just have to wait. I find I’m also a little more ruthless in tossing IF I know I’ve only got a few minutes to spare
Jan,
That’s a great idea, Take 10! Hey, whatever works to enrich our lives just a little bit more.
Thanks for the great reminder! I loved this enouraging post, and it was so timely! Have a blessed day! Thanks for sharing on the homestead barn hop!
~AFG
Megan
Hi Megan Jenelle,
I appreciate your comment and thanks for reading!
Great ideas! I love to see just how much I can get done in a small amount of time, and race the clock to do it. I might print your list out to get myself jump-started when there’s so much to do I don’t know where to start!
Hey Annie,
I like to race the clock as well! That can also be a fun tool to use with the kids to get them going. Thanks for commenting!
VERY TRUE!!!!!!! what a wise woman to tell you to keep your fabric.
Dena,
It’s amazing how much wisdom comes with just another ten years of life, eh?
That is how I am blog hopping and getting housework done. I alternate – the chores first, to earn a blog break.
I like the idea that we need more than task after task and need to remember personal time.
Hey DogsMom,
Good for you and yes, incorporating personal and spiritual time in our lives deliberately is important to maintaining balance.
Thanks for your comment!
I love this and have been doing it for years now. I usually have a timer set and love it when I can finish a task before time runs out. Yesterday I discovered that I could do dishes (two days worth for four people), dust three rooms and wash all my counters and lower cabinets in only 15 minutes without breaking a sweat.
Hello Lot Elf,
Wow, you are amazing! It sounds like you’ve got the 15-minute thing down!!
Hi,
I just stumbled across your website today and it’s great! I use the 15 minute thing quite often. Even though my kids are no longer at home I still find it hard to fit everything I want to do into a day…I work outside my home and so am gone 9+ hours a day and it always seems like there is “just 1 more thing” I need/want to get done before I sit down to quilt in the evening. When this happens I quickly jot down all the little things I want done then set my alarm on my phone for 15 minutes and do as many projects as I can…as fast as I can until my alarm goes off. Then I reset my alarm and sit and enjoy 15 minutes of quilting time…then repeat the process until it’s either time to quit for the night OR I run out of my “just 1 more thing” list! The other thing I try to do is spend at least 15 minutes a day enjoying either quilting, knitting or crocheting. It makes for a much happier me!!!
Diannia,
So glad to hear how that works for you! Thanks for commenting!
Kelly
Diannia,
That’s awesome, it’s amazing how much you can get done!