“How do you do it all?”
That’s a question I’ve been asked more times than I can count. Folks perceive that I’ve got all my s*** together – the momming, ranching, the blogging, and just the general adulting. And they want to know how I do it all? Well, friend…
The truth is, I don’t.
I do not get it all done – at least not everything that I want to get done. And what I do get accomplished, I most certainly have not done completely on my own. So, don’t go thinking that I’ve got it all together because I definitely do not.
I mean, okay – yeah. The kids and the cows are always fed, hydrated, and cared for. And most days, the kids are clothed in something other than what they wore to bed the night before. Don’t get me wrong. There are days that I feel like I am really killing it. Like when the kids are wearing something other than their jammies and the housekeeping is caught up. Or, the days that I’ve brushed my teeth, fixed that extra fence, baked some blueberry muffins, and cranked out one thousand words all before lunch.
But those days – they are not the norm.
For me, the norm is dishes in my sink, counter full of mail (most of it junk), and laundry that gets washed but is seldom folded and almost never put away. My reality is planning to publish three five hundred-ish word blog posts each week and only to getting one written… if that. It’s forgetting that it’s picture day at school and failing to remember to turn in the Scholastic book order form on time.
Each day when my duck alarm clock goes off I say a prayer and chase it with a cup (or three) of coffee. I start every morning with a good attitude and a prioritized to-do list. But even then, it’s really hard telling day-to-day which it will be – the norm or the rare day when I really crush it.
So again, don’t go thinking that I’ve got it all together because I definitely do not.
Priorities and people.
What I do have are priorities and my people – the friends and family who support and encourage me, keep me in line, and help me do what I do. God, husband, kids, cows – those are the things that top my priority list, but beyond that the order is ever-changing. And my prioritized to-do list with which I start every day is slightly unpredictable. Because kids, cows, and sometimes husbands – they are slightly unpredictable.
Nevertheless, I do not believe in not having enough time. We have time for what we make time for. So, whenever I feel the urge to say, “I don’t have time to (fill in the blank),” I replace it with, “(fill in the blank) is not the priority” – just to see how it feels. If I’m okay with it, then I move on. If I don’t like the way it feels, I adjust and make it happen.
Take blogging for example. Blogging is something I enjoy, and although it is farther down on the list, it is a priority of mine. That means making time to make my blog happen. It means getting up two hours ahead of the rest of my family to write, schedule social media posts, and update my website. Whatever doesn’t get done in those two hours, usually gets pushed to the next day, or week.
Speaking of blogging, and really everything else, I could not do it without my people. The friends that proofread my posts, offer suggestions, and make sure it’s “fridge” and not “frig.” The framily (friends + family = framily) who take the kids for a few hours, or a few days, just because. The family that supports me, and my crazy, no matter what. The husband who loves me unconditionally and provides the kick-in-the-pants motivation I need. I could not do what I do without my people – period.
At the end of the day.
I am not a supermom or some super human who has a perfect plan and gets everything and then some done each day. I am me – the easily distracted scatterbrain who gets up and does her best every day. So, there really is no secret to my success. No rhyme or reason. Not even a method to my madness. There are only priorities and the people standing behind me, helping me hold it together and get (some) things done.
And I’m good with that.
Hello! I’m Terryn – the wife, mother, food safety enthusiast, Stormy Kromer fanatic who has slightly (okay, a lot) random tendencies, dabbles in photography, and shares (maybe a little too much) here at FFB.
Every time I think I am going to get some insight into getting more done, I read the words, “get up earlier’ and I laugh at how not worth it that is and continue to write one or two blog posts a month if I’m lucky! I get asked ‘How do you do It? a lot just because I have a lot of kids and I always say, “Very poorly.” And when they ask how I have time to sew I tell them their house is cleaner than mine.
Ah, yes! Most houses are cleaner than mine, because housekeeping falls fairly low on my list of priorities. I enjoy my early morning quiet and coffee, but I also sneak in blogging tasks whenever I have a spare minute – sitting at the school bus stop, standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for hamburger to thaw out in the microwave for supper, etc.
In addition to prioritizing, I also believe in quality over quantity. So, one or two quality blog posts every month or so – that’s a win in my book. ?
I hear ya! Ain’t nobody on this earth that is perfect. Keep up the spirit.
Thank you for reading and for you kind words, Alan! 🙂
Yea Terryn; excellent post! Like you I’m a full time ranch wife working outside, keeping house, making meals, paying bills, laundry and the like. Some days I don’t know how I can do what I do and I don’t have little ones to care for. Women like you are awesome and you have your own super hero status. I know your humbleness will never let you think that, but you have super hero qualities!
You are absolutely right about priorities. If it needs to be done, it will get done. Something a little extra or ideas that would be nice seem to get done if or when we get to them. And that is ok.
Keep up the good work, I’m proud of you!
Thanks, Robyn!
I so much appreciate you kind words and constant support. It means a lot to me to have inspiring women like you in my corner. 🙂