Take It Back!

My youngest child is in her fifth week of preschool.  So far I have had 60 hours of childless free time, but I realized yesterday that I have actually had NO me time in this sixty hours!  Friday of last week I was so exhausted from running around like a chicken with its head cut off...or perhaps I should sum it up as I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off and then suddenly I ran into my head!  Tired.  Worn out. Overscheduled.  Out of control.  That has been me.  I love love love doing things that help others and I love volunteering and being involved.  It came to a head when I felt that something was going to fall through the cracks and it was not going to be good.  Everything I do is important and everything I am involved in effects someone else or lots of other people.  However, in these sixty hours I have been put on the back burner.  My physical health.  My mental health.  My emotional health.  And, gulp, my spiritual health.  They have all been put on the back burner.  My effectiveness would be much less if I was the one that fell through the cracks.  I was standing at the edge of the crack, precariously close to falling in while juggling full plates above my head.  I was one foot over the edge, teetering right here, right at the cusp.  If one thing on one of my plates shifted, I would fall into the crack, through the crack, in a downward spiral.  STOP!

I believe if I didn't have AHA moment this weekend, I would be a free falling through the crack of my own busyness.  STOP!  PULL BACK!  TAKE IT BACK....TAKE BACK YOUR SCHEDULE!  Those are words my mind was screaming at me.  I have learned, the hard way, to listen to myself when I am close to the edge.  What does this mean?  How do I go from

to

without failing miserably?

I have thought about it.  I am going to have to make myself and my all around health a priority.  That means using that awful four letter-two letter word "no".  Yes, that word!  

I need to put myself on my planner.  Stop over-scheduling my outside activities.  Stop over-volunteering.  I have to stop and remember that I cannot be everywhere at one time.  I cannot be everything at one time.  Lets face it, I am not God.  In each thing I am involved in I am not the only person there, it is okay to expect other people to do things as well.  

During the week day, I think four hours max per week is what I am going to be using to volunteer.  The rest of the time I will be doing things for myself and spending time with those I love.  Wow, I feel so selfish saying that but, at the same time I am free!

My question for you....have you ever had to step back and re-evaluate?  What did you do?