Balance
Happy Friday! It's probably no surprise to you that working 32 hrs/week, going to class 8 hrs/week, exercising and having a life requires a serious balancing act. By no means do I have it down, but I'm learning.
Things that have been rebalanced the last few weeks include:
1. Shorter runs & less strength training - fitting it in where I can rather than making it the priority
2. Finding time for the manfriend - This one I'm still struggling with because at the end of a long day, I really feel like a good sweat session, but then it's time for dinner and homework, leaving little time to hang out with my favorite guy. I'm thinking we should commit to a monthly "date night" that isn't necessarily just grabbing dinner somewhere, but is extra fun for whatever reason."
3. Getting to the grocery store & meal planning - Feels like I no longer have an extra 30 min here and there to swing by the grocery store to pick up the staples we run out of midweek or little things I want for that night's dinner. Ideally, I'd like the manfriend and I to make a meal plan for the week on the weekends, do the grocery shopping and switch around the meals if we feel like something else one night.
4. Studying - Night time is my only free time. I simply can't meet up with study groups during the day. As the term goes on, I may see if a study group is able to meet on the weekend prior to tests. But so far, reading and studying on my own in the evenings is working.
5. Hydration - When working all day, I was always great about drinking several classes of water throughout the day. But now, my work time is much more condensed and I always tell myself I'll fill up my water bottle when I get to school, but then class is about to start so I go an entire day drinking maybe 16oz in 8 hrs. I'm working on it...
6. Stress - enough said. Working on ways to stay calm rather than let my heart rate/blood pressure rise.
All I can say is THANK GOODNESS for weekends that naturally bring things back into balance in a really good way.
Wedding chatter: Last night I picked up a few books from the library that I had on hold. One of them was Miss Manners' Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding. I find it fascinating to read about different weddings and all the details a couple can focus on (or opt not to) during the planning process.
While I'm only 25 pages in, the book is interesting because it has a lot of little notes similar to Dear Betty inquiries, but focusing on the ins and outs of weddings. For example, couples wanting to elope, a couple feeling conflicted on the tradition of spending a ton of money on a big wedding, a bride wondering if she's wrong for only being able to do something very simple, etc.
Miss Manners focuses more on simplicity and having all your friends/family there > creating a fancy affair. Makes sense for most people on some kind of budget and/or hoping to keep their sanity.
I hope your Friday is off to a good start! Crossing my fingers that 5pm will come quickly.
Things that have been rebalanced the last few weeks include:
1. Shorter runs & less strength training - fitting it in where I can rather than making it the priority
2. Finding time for the manfriend - This one I'm still struggling with because at the end of a long day, I really feel like a good sweat session, but then it's time for dinner and homework, leaving little time to hang out with my favorite guy. I'm thinking we should commit to a monthly "date night" that isn't necessarily just grabbing dinner somewhere, but is extra fun for whatever reason."
3. Getting to the grocery store & meal planning - Feels like I no longer have an extra 30 min here and there to swing by the grocery store to pick up the staples we run out of midweek or little things I want for that night's dinner. Ideally, I'd like the manfriend and I to make a meal plan for the week on the weekends, do the grocery shopping and switch around the meals if we feel like something else one night.
4. Studying - Night time is my only free time. I simply can't meet up with study groups during the day. As the term goes on, I may see if a study group is able to meet on the weekend prior to tests. But so far, reading and studying on my own in the evenings is working.
5. Hydration - When working all day, I was always great about drinking several classes of water throughout the day. But now, my work time is much more condensed and I always tell myself I'll fill up my water bottle when I get to school, but then class is about to start so I go an entire day drinking maybe 16oz in 8 hrs. I'm working on it...
6. Stress - enough said. Working on ways to stay calm rather than let my heart rate/blood pressure rise.
All I can say is THANK GOODNESS for weekends that naturally bring things back into balance in a really good way.
Wedding chatter: Last night I picked up a few books from the library that I had on hold. One of them was Miss Manners' Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding. I find it fascinating to read about different weddings and all the details a couple can focus on (or opt not to) during the planning process.
While I'm only 25 pages in, the book is interesting because it has a lot of little notes similar to Dear Betty inquiries, but focusing on the ins and outs of weddings. For example, couples wanting to elope, a couple feeling conflicted on the tradition of spending a ton of money on a big wedding, a bride wondering if she's wrong for only being able to do something very simple, etc.
Miss Manners focuses more on simplicity and having all your friends/family there > creating a fancy affair. Makes sense for most people on some kind of budget and/or hoping to keep their sanity.
I hope your Friday is off to a good start! Crossing my fingers that 5pm will come quickly.
Comments
And once again I am struggling with balance now with my busy travel schedule. I have cooked once in the last 2 weeks. My fridge is basically empty and the only produce I have on hand are apples. Totally failing on the eating front. I am eating ok, but lots of meals out, which is not good! I'm just sort of in survival/get through the next 3 weeks mode right now!
I hope you had a great weekend and we were able to relax and spend some quality time with the manfriend. I think a monthly date night sounds like a fantastic plan!
As for the wedding thing, I have never been to a wedding where I cared more about it being beautiful/fancy than I cared about seeing people I love! I would go to a pot luck down by the creek; it doesn't really matter to me!