"Time For Ourselves" Plan - Part 3

How did you do this week? Did you gather what you needed for the activity you've chosen?

I chose contra dancing and I made sure I had the right shoes and dancing clothes, I spoke to one of my friends, but do need to contact another. I know when and where the dancers meet. I'm ready to move on.

If you need to gather more materials or do a bit more research on the activity you've chosen, take another few days to finish, then move to...

Step 3: Plan to insert this activity into your week.

Now we begin to think about the time for our activity. First, decide how much time you'd like to spend on this activity. If this is a class you've chosen, then you already may know days and times. If not a scheduled activity, then you can create your own schedule. Two hours on Wednesday evening; 1 hour on Saturday morning. The hour when Dad has a nap which is different each day. What might fit your current rhythm?

Second, think about how those hours you spend on your activity will shift other things in your week. There are three ways to find time for a new activity, or more accurately, to make a "time exchange".

1. Make no changes to the list of things you're currently doing. Get up earlier or stay up later to compensate for the time you'll spend doing the new activity. Exchange awake time for sleep time.
2. Decide that something else will not get done. Exchange one task time for another.
3. Ask someone else to do something on that current list so you can spend that time on your activity. Exchange someone else's time for yours.

Consider the pros and cons of each option carefully, taking into account that overall, the goal is to add some relaxation in your life, not sleep-deprivation or excessive anxiety. Also remember that your goal includes adding this activity on a regular basis so that it will become routine.

Already sounds hard, feels hard to me. I'm feeling a little tightness inside thinking about this. At the same time I really want to dance. So I'm going to take a breath and figure out how contra dancing will fit.

I know you can do the same. Check in next week for the progress report.

Blessings on your caregiving!