My children and I play a hilarious video game called Overcooked. It’s a multiplayer game, most fun when three or more players work together as a team. The goal in each level is to cook and serve meals to customers in a restaurant.
But your kitchen isn’t just any kitchen. Every few seconds, your ingredients and appliances slide away to a different location. Mice skitter across the kitchen and steal your food. Random fireballs spew out from the hearth and start blazes on the floor and countertops.
Alarms are going off everywhere, warning you that your food is burning. Sometimes your food catches fire and you have to put it out. Angry patrons storm off and charge you a fine if you delay too long in serving their orders or bring them the wrong dish. In our rushed panicking to keep on top of everything, we often get into each other’s way.
We’ve had a ton of belly laughs playing that game. But as I considered my life towards the end of the year, I stopped laughing when it hit me that I sometimes—*cough* often *cough*—run my life like a session of Overcooked. I homeschool our four children, work a 20-hour-a-week part-time job and write novels, in addition to trying to keep our home in some kind of order.
Sometimes, I manage my affairs in crisis mode, lurching to whichever task seems the most alarming. And yet very important things, such as spending time in prayer, building myself up in the Lord, and reading my Bible, don’t scream loudly at me. So, it’s easy to drop them in order to cram in one more “urgent” task.
My response is to plan more! At the last count, I had four planners.
In fact, I have a planner that helps me plan how to use my planners.
But while planning is a useful tool in getting my life under control, it’s only one small part of everything. I’m doing my best to live according to Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” That puts all my “stuff” into perspective.
My life lessons often tend to bleed into whatever book I’m writing, and that’s once again the case. The main character in my new project has spent her life chasing after things, and forgetting what she really needs is to rest in God. It’s only when all these “things” come crashing down that she realises that only one “thing” is needful, and that thing will never be taken away.
Have you ever been so busy that it feels like you’re chasing your tail? What helped?
I write fiction that reflects my Christian faith. I love happy endings, heroes and heroines who discover sometimes hard but always vital truths, and stories that uplift and encourage. My family and I live in the east of England where we enjoy rambling in the countryside, reading good books and making up silly lyrics to our favorite songs.
When I was working it felt like that, so I retired early. Best decision ever.
Hi Milla! During the sandwich years life was hectic juggling my own family’s life, taking care of my aging parents, being a pastor’s wife and teaching full time. Making lists helped. I had all appointments including my parents on a small pocketbook calendar. A larger calendar for School appointments. On the weekends I caught up. Saturday for household chores. Sunday afternoons preparing for the upcoming lessons and making a week’s schedule. As a young mom and pastor’s wife, I received the best advice from a busy godly woman in the church my husband pastored: not to feel overwhelmed only concentrate on one task at a time. Best advice ever. Even now in retirement, I make my weekly list and schedule. It is a proven fact, that writing things down etches them on our minds. Best wishes.
We love Overcooked here! Hilarious and stressful at the same time. :)
Also I feel like I was running at that level a lot this past year. I think what helped most was sitting back and remembering why. What was the outcome I was working towards. Because that allowed me to get rid of some of the things I was doing that were working towards something that I didn’t really feel called to, but that people seemed to expect me to want.
Awesome, Mary! I have a cousin who took early retirement, but he seems busier than ever! He’s picked up a bunch of hobbies and community service projects that fill up his time.
A planner for your four planners! I totally identify with that.
Brilliant advice, Renate. I, too, live by my lists and schedules. When I stop following them, everything falls to pieces.
Yay, Overcooked fans!
Funny you mention the “why.” That’s been a huge game-changer for me over the past few months: defining my “why” and keeping it front and centre in all my pursuits. It’s not only helped me focus on what matters, but it means that I’ve changed my attitude about some things which feel like drudgery, but which are in service of a greater purpose.
Ha ha! Glad to know I’m not the only one. :-)
I have felt that way, except mine wasn’t so much being busy. I had a hard time focusing and concentrating. I was Mom’s caregiver for 9 years, kept track of both of our schedules and appointments, and when she passed, all of a sudden there was nothing to keep track of any more. No more appointments to take her to, no more keeping track of her medications, no more taking care of her. I focused on reading my Bible, reading books, and letting God take care of me. I had to focus on things that HAD to be done, and now, a little over a year after her passing, I’m ready to do more things I WANT to do , which still means all of what I was doing, but now adding in a few more things. I spend a lot more time praying now, multiple times a day, and that keeps me focused on God, and He’ll get me through.
Wow, Trudy, I can’t even imagine how hard that must be, in addition to the already deep pain of bereavement. You’ll be in my prayers.
Yes, it has happened to me , but I just sit down and take a breather or go for a walk or do something else, that always helps. Have a great week and stay safe. I enjoyed your post.
Thank you so much, Alicia! Blessings to you.
I try never to go anywhere without trying to get 2 things done at once. Walmart for everything with unlimited delivery for $98 a year it really cuts down on trips. With shortages now you may have to place more frequent orders but it’s a global problem now.
Being a Kindle Unlimited cut down on library visits and with the pandemic. You can buy yourself a gift subscription for yourself or someone else for 6, 12, or 24 months and save quite a bit of money versus the monthly fee. I bought myself a 24 month subscription for $151.71 US. I also keep an Amazon wish list for any books I want to read that may be discounted or free. I highly recommend I rec Signing up for Bookbub it’s free and it has a daily newsletter which gives you the ebook in your categories and a wish list feature.
I send e-gift cards for gifts now.
Probably more you wanted how I save time when life gets busy
I schedule as many doctor appointments online as possible. I buy stamps by mail
Jcp, it sounds like you do many of the things I do to maximise efficiency! I’m so grateful for grocery stores that deliver, because it saves me so much time. And we can now pay for postage online and print out the stamps, so that’s also brilliant.
I love how you have a planner that tells you how to use a planner. That is so me!!
Ha ha, another one! Yes, I call it the Planner that Rules them All. :-)
Every day! Managing work, ministry, homeschool with four kiddos, sports, music, art…..stretching it thin LOL
There have been times when I feel like a dog chasing my tail! But, I try to prioritize and do the most important things first. I also have a paper calendar on the wall where I write appointments & other happenings on. Then I also have a dry erase white-board calendar to keep track of stuff each month, and change to or add to as necessary. I have a running list of needed shopping items on my phone so if I do go to the store, I won’t forget something. I am a huge list person, so that certainly keeps me grounded!
It’s not always easy, but being a naturally organized person, I think that’s helped me to keep everything running as smooth as possible :-)
Yes. I need to stop pray and get into the Bible. Sometimes, I have to be knocked down to get to that point because I think that I can wiggle one more thing into the mix. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
I get super busy at times like today with 50cm of snow & house work but I’m use to doing so much at once
I am use to working as a super in a building plus dealing with helping my wife & child. I doing a lot of the house work as well & our pup is slowly healing from a stroke & snow as well
I hear you, Natalya!
Those are good tips, Trixi! I live by my lists as well. I’m not sure whether I’m naturally organised, but it’s a skill I’ve had to learn.
Thanks for commenting, Debra! I totally get that. I’ve had to learn not to overcommit myself as well.
Winter definitely comes with its own set of challenges, doesn’t it? In the UK, thankfully, there’s not often snow but when we lived in Norway, for sure, we felt the added burden of the season. It would take an extra 20 minutes or so just getting out the door to go places, what with dressing up the children in their snow gear, scraping snow and ice off the car, etc.
Your life sounds very full as well, Sylvain! I hope your dog gets well soon.