As a working mother of two children (ages four years old and three months old), student, and wife, I am incredible busy. My husband calls me a woman who likes to “do it all. ” I always have a long list of things I need to do daily. I call it my “to do list. ” My list starts from when I get up in the morning all the way to when I go to bed at night. Every day, I am in constant struggle to create more time for my daily activities. I feel like twenty four hours in a day is not enough for me to get all the things on my list done.
Even though I try so hard to manage my time each day by making a list of things I have to do, I still struggle to get everything done. Managing my time to complete my daily routine is the biggest challenges in my life. I start my day to the sound of my baby crying. Around 5:00 a. m. , my infant starts kicking and crying for attention. Either he is hungry or he has a wet diaper. I get up to change his diaper, feed him. Most of the time, he will fall right back to sleep. Then, my daughter wakes up and needs my care as well. I help her to get dressed and ready for school.
Then I prepare breakfast for both of us. I try to make time to sit down and have breakfast with my daughter every morning, so I have the time to inform her of her day. After breakfast I wake my baby up. I change his diaper one more time. I get him in his car seat, and then we run out of the door. My morning routine is rushed with pressure of me having to be out the door by 7:15 a. m. so I can get to school or work by 8:00 a. m. Also, I have to drop both kids off at daycare before I can be on my way. It is not an easy thing to get my newborn and four year old to follow my schedule.
Having them in the house, unexpected things can happen at any time. For example, my daughter might not want to get up or my baby boy might be fussy all morning. When my baby cries, it is means he needs me, so I have to stop whatever I am doing to go take care of him. Taking care of him can take up to ten minutes or more. Those ten minutes can cause me to not be able to follow my plan and make me to be late many times. My baby crying is the sound of the start of my day, and that sound can also be the reason I struggle to finish my morning routine.
However, my children are more important to me than everything else, so I have to adjust everything to provide the care that they need from me as a mother. The biggest challenges in my day begin after I get home from school. I need to manage my time to get everything done each day. I use my to-do list as a tool to guide me through the day. Each day I check my to-do list and pick out the most important thing that needs to be done. I set my priorities and stick with my game plan. My to-do list always includes cleaning the house, doing laundry, preparing dinner, and doing school work.
It is like normal chores plus school work. However, in order for me to finish everything, it requires a lot of time that I do not have. I only have three hours each day to finish the housework before I have to pick up my children. After I pick up my children from school, I do not do any housework or school work. I give all my time and attention to them until they both go to bed. Spending time with my children is my first priority and it is important to me to make sure that I have enough time for both of them.
So neither the housework nor my schoolwork can wait. After both of my children go to bed, it is time for me to finish my school work. Managing my time to do my school work is the most challenging part of my day. I am currently in training to become a medication nurse assistant. Also, the course is condensed, so it is only a eight weeks course, with four weeks in the class-room. The course has a lot of information to absorb, it requires a lot of time to study from home. After that, the next four weeks will be clinical work, which I have not started yet.
On top of the training, I take College Writing Skills II. As English is my second language, this class is the hardest for me. I have to spend two to three hours each day studying and writing. Writing in English is hard for me, but I have fun doing it. It is challenging for me to try harder and harder every day, because I want to write better. All the school work I do needs a lot time and attention, just like my baby. In order for me to finish my school work on time each day, I have to get my children in bed by 8:00 p. m.
Then I have one hour for myself to relax, make a list for the next day, and have three to four hours to study. Finally, I go to bed before 1:00 a. m. As a result, I still get five hours of sleep each day. I wish I could have eight hours of sleep, but if I do that I will never be able to finish all the things on my do list. Even though I am busy every day, making a list of things that need to be done is a good habit to get into. It helps me to mange my time better, so I can finish my activities each day and still have a little time for myself. Right now my life is busier than ever.
I have to take care of my newborn, learn how to be a mother of two children, try to better my career, and maintain a healthy relationship with my husband. Twenty four hours in a day for me never seems to be enough to get everything done. However, I have a good system to help me get through the busy times of my life. I have my “to-do list” and good time management. I use them to help me maintain my work, school, and family time. It is helping smooth my day. I believe no matter how busy life can get if I know how to manage my time and set my priorities, I can always get through those busy days.
