by Alycia Morales | Jun 5, 2019 | Lifestyle, Planning, Self-care
As I looked at my planner the other day, I heaved one long sigh after another. Once again, I’d penned in lists of things I wanted to accomplish throughout the week. And once again, I’d never gotten to half of them by Friday evening. My time management skills waned with my energy levels.
Being a mom requires a lot of time to begin with. Add in being an entrepreneur, and there’s simply never enough time.
As I sighed over my planner today, I realized a few things about time management. Now, I’ve known these things all along – somewhere in the back of my overcrowded mind – but this morning the light bulb came on inside some closeted section of my brain. I had a fresh perspective on time management.
Here are 5 fresh time management tips:
1. Recognize how much time you have in a day.
This never changes (duh). We have 24 hours each day with which to take time for ourselves before the crew wakes up, get everyone where they need to be each day, work on our latest project(s), cook dinner, wash dishes, listen to our children download their day, run laundry, and tuck the kids into bed before we collapse. No more. No less.
2. Recognize your priorities.
What is most important to you? Family? Church? Work? Play? Sure, we have multiple things that are important to us. The key to prioritizing is to determine what you can and can’t live without. Personally, my husband and children are of utmost priority, falling just under my relationship with Jesus. Then comes whatever else God is asking me to be obedient in doing throughout a season or in a day. Setting priorities helps you decide what needs to be done in a day and what can wait until tomorrow or be completely thrown out of your already busy schedule.
3. Recognize how much time it takes you to complete a task.
This is one of the biggest things I struggle with. I know how long it takes me to clean around the house in the morning after the kids have left for school, which cuts into my writing time, so my writing goes to the wayside. I also know how long it takes me to edit a manuscript, because my family life always takes over in the midst of an edit. It never fails that someone will get sick or hurt themselves, which will take days of appointments out of my editing schedule. I also know that I have a hard time sitting down to work or getting back to work if my day is interrupted. Which leads to…
4. Recognize your need to guard your time.
Time is one thing we can never get back. Once it passes, it’s gone. We can make more money. But we can’t make more time. We have to spend it wisely.
5. Recognize your assignments. And learn to say “no” to the rest.
I was at a women’s gathering at church not too long ago, and one of the speakers pointed out the difference between God’s call on our lives, His will for us, and our assignments. His call is to enter into His kingdom and be born again. It’s to experience salvation. His will is for me to be a sacrifice for Him. To lay down my life in obedience.
And the rest of life is made up of a variety of assignments He wants me to participate in. The key is to know which assignments are for me and which are for someone else. I have to be able to say no to things that come my way but aren’t assigned to me. Yes, good things, positive opportunities will come my way. But not every good thing is God’s best thing for me. And those I should pass on. It’s better to be obedient and find joy in the things I am doing than to take on too many things and live a frustrated life.
Some of these are your typical time management tips. I hope the spin I put on them is fresh revelation for you.
What’s one way you could apply one of my time management tips to your schedule today? What tip do you have? Let’s converse! Share your comment below.
by Alycia Morales | Jun 3, 2019 | Faith, Inspiration, Self-care
Have you ever had a difficult season in life? One when you wondered if you would make it through? Thing after thing after thing happens. You fall deeper into darkness, praying that one ray or glimmer of light won’t fade, because you’re not sure you will survive if it does. Life deals you one terrible hand after the other, and you’re about to fold.
These past few years, that was my life. Around every corner, I faced one trial after another. If something could go wrong, it did. My marriage was tested. We went through a variety of issues with our kids. A couple of family members passed away. We had a layoff. I had to take work outside the home for the first time in several years, and that led to more kid issues. I’ll tell you about some of these throughout upcoming posts.
How did I make it through that difficult season in my life?
I looked up and chose to live.
Every one of us needs something that brings us hope.
For some, it’s a person. It’s time off, a vacation. Or, it’s faith. For me, it’s Jesus. My relationship with God.
We all have something or someone we live for. And when we feel that is taken away, we lose interest in life. Depression sets in. We don’t want to get out of bed in the morning, because we anticipate that one-more-thing may happen, and we don’t know if we can face one more thing.
Which is why my faith is so important to me. Why my relationship with God comes first in my life.
Without hope of salvation, without faith in the Lord, I wouldn’t be able to face what’s lurking around the corner.
My marriage wouldn’t survive. I would worry myself to death concerning my kids. I’d give up on my dreams. Everything around me – all the circumstances of my life – would overwhelm me. Take control of my life. Pull me down.
When I spend time with the Lord, reading His Word, praying, listening for His voice, it brings me a peace that passes all the understanding I have. I can look at life and not feel the overwhelm. Solutions I never saw before become clear. I can learn how to have joy in place of sorrow or frustration or disappointment.
Does that mean I never experience fear, overwhelm, frustration, depression, or any other negative thing?
No. I still face those every time.
But I don’t have to linger there. Instead of looking around me and letting those things control my life, I can look up at my Savior and live.
Thankfully, in God’s time, things turned around. My life is a complete 180-degrees different than it has been for the past four years. Since March, things have improved tremendously.
And that’s how things in God’s kingdom work. Things feel like they are taking forever, we’re challenged on every level, and we wonder if life is ever going to give us lemonade for all the lemons we’ve had to suck on. And then, one day, success comes. But we recognize that it’s taken a long time to get to that overnight success.
How do you make it through the difficult seasons in life? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
by Alycia Morales | Jan 5, 2018 | Discipleship, Faith, Lifestyle, Relationships, Self-care
Have you ever felt life is like a snowball that turns into a wrecking ball as it crashes through your safety net? That about describes 2017 for me as I focused on learning about obedience. Challenge after challenge after challenge. For me, it felt like walking through the Refiner’s fire. My husband called it a shaking. Thankfully, when God shakes and refines, we grow and mature.
The following are 17 challenges I faced in 2017 and how I managed life amidst them.
1. My one word for 2017 was OBEDIENCE.
Obedience comes with a cost. Always. It may cost time, money, relationships, or any other number of things. What it cost me was my pride. (more…)
by Alycia Morales | Jan 7, 2017 | Faith, Health, Mind, Self-care, Soul, Spirit
As 2016 drew to an end, I considered all I’d seen and heard throughout the year – particularly the end of it. I considered how one election seemed to divide the church. I considered how many people felt as if the end of the world had just arrived. How fear ran rampant. I considered how many were relieved that it hadn’t. And those people rejoiced. And I “selahed.” I took moments to consider God’s Word and what He has to say about all that.
Too often we look at the world around us, and we get caught up in the fears our circumstances command. We pray and we quote Scripture, and we tell our friends our deepest feelings, knowing they’ll sympathize with us. They’ll nod their heads and offer a word or two, share a story of their own. And we walk away placated. For now, the world is uprighted once again.
But that’s not what God wants.
What we need to do in these times is to walk by faith and not by sight. Putting all of our trust in Him. What did Jesus tell Peter when he walked out on the water and then began to sink? Let’s take a look:
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
So He said, “Come.”
And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. {Matthew 14:27-31}
He talked about Peter’s faith – moreso his lack of it. Peter doubted that Jesus had commanded him to come to Him on the water. Because once Peter took that step of faith, he looked away from Jesus. He became distracted by the boisterous winds.
How often do we get distracted from God’s truths by the voices of the people around us? Whether they’re well-meaning friends or lobbyists or even the voice in our own heads. Will we believe what the physical world is shouting or what God’s Word has held as truth for all of eternity?
Will you trust God with your future, or will you spend your lifetime worrying about what’s to come? If you were in God’s Word and believed Him in all His fullness, you wouldn’t worry about what’s to come. You’d rest in knowing that He has everything under control and that no matter what decisions those around us make, we have nothing and no one to fear but Him. He is the only One who holds our life in His hands. And He knows exactly what we need to endure it.
Q for U: When you look up, what scares you the most? What voice calls loudest? Now, what does God’s Word say about that? Write it down. Put it somewhere you can read it any time that voice calls out or you look up and fear what you find. Speak the truth of God’s Word into that situation. And live.
by Alycia Morales | Jan 5, 2017 | Creativity, Lifestyle, Self-care
It’s the new year. What better time to try something new? Have you been longing to learn how to knit or scrapbook? Have you wondered if you would enjoy yoga or wanted to learn to cook? Is there a class you’ve been dying to take?
What’s holding you back?
Are you nervous? I can hear the questions now. Where would I even start? How do I know what to get? What if I screw it up? What about the closet full of supplies I already have? My husband will kill me if I buy one more craft project.
Here are 5 pointers for trying something new:
- Start with the basics. Rather than going out and spending a couple of hundred dollars on supplies, start with the bare necessities. Most crafts or DIY projects really only require a few simple tools to get started. Don’t go overboard. That way, if you decide you can’t stand what you’re doing, you’re not out your electric bill.
- Watch YouTube videos before you start. Research so that you have a good understanding of the skills and supplies needed to accomplish what it is you’re putting your hands to do. This can save both time and money in the long run. And not every video is the same. Some are easier to follow or understand than others.
- Find a friend who has experience with the new thing you’ve chosen to learn. Friends are great at encouraging us to try new things, especially if they are already involved in that particular area. They can help you purchase what you need and give you tips to get started. They may even do a project with you in order to teach you.
- If none of your friends do what you want to learn to do, look for a local club or meet-up you can attend. Most are happy to have new members.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Learning takes time. You may spend an extra hour or a few extra bucks as you get the hang of something. That’s how we learn, and it’s okay. Now you know what not to do the next time.
What else could you add?
by Alycia Morales | Jan 3, 2017 | Creativity, Lifestyle, quotes, Self-care
FFaiSaveFailure isn’t something to be embarrassed about; it’s just proof that you’re pushing your limits, trying new things, daring to innovate. – Gavin Newsom
Art doesn’t happen by accident. It is about pulling out new tricks and trying new things. – Nicholas Meyer
Don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to others, even if you don’t like them. – Stacy London
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make new mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever. – Neil Gaiman
You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discover, and always challenge yourself to try new things. – Nate Berkus
We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. – Walt Disney
Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have. – Louis E. Boone
You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you. – Barbara Sher
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. – Ronald E. Osborn
You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be. – Marianne Williamson
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by Alycia Morales | Dec 26, 2016 | Faith Journaling, Inspiration, Lifestyle
As each year draws to a close, we reflect on life. Did we accomplish anything in the past year? Did we mend or build a relationship? Were we successful at dieting/getting into shape/losing weight? Did we let anyone down–especially ourselves? How are our finances looking? Did we learn anything based on the one word God gave us last January?
While we mull these over, we consider what we want for next year. And we do one or more of several things:
- We make resolutions. We determine we will accomplish our goals, and we set them too high to reach. Maybe we’ll feel some sense of success if we get halfway there. Maybe we’ll feel like complete failures at the end of the year. Who knows? But we make those resolutions anyway.
- We choose One Word. We pray until God whispers this word in our ear. It’s like a promise or a challenge for the coming year. And even if our friend has the same word, it’s still extremely personal.
- We choose a Life Verse. This is going to be the verse that God brings us back to every day for the next year. It’s a foundation for us to stand on each day. Again, it’s a promise or a challenge.
- We ignore it all and decide to wing it. See what happens. Or doesn’t. Life will bring what life will bring, won’t it?
Personally, I enjoy One Word. I’ve done this for two years in a row, and God has amazed me each time. It’s simple. It’s direct. It’s personal.
Fullness. That was my One Word for 2015. When I looked back at the end of the year, I could see several forms of fullness that had occurred. It was a year of fullness of life. Abundance. Whether heartbreaking or joy inducing. My calendar was full. We joined a church and discovered we could stay there longer than two years. We were truly blessed in 2015. And, of course, God’s personal fullness invaded my own heart. Even more than it has before.
Relationship. 2016. This one starts with God. I have experienced more intimacy with Him as I’ve learned to trust Him (and continue to do so) with those areas of my life I’ve wanted to keep control over. My relationships with my husband and our four children have deepened and become more intimate. I’ve learned so much about my kids and about relating to teens in the past year. As stated previously, we’ve become members of a church that is beginning to feel like home this year. I’ve made new sisters in Christ. And the two friends I’ve had locally have become my best friends in the world. Our relationships have grown and strengthened. For the first time in … well, so long I can’t remember … 20 years, let’s say, I have a friend I can tell anything. God has answered prayer after prayer this year. All concerning relationships.
That is why I love One Word so much. It’s one word I have to keep track of. It’s something I can always look back on and easily recognize what God was saying or doing in that year of my life. It’s fun to make memes with my one word. And it’s extremely personal, even as vague as it is.
Join the Conversation: What do you prefer to do? Make resolutions? Choose a word or Scripture verse? Ignore the hype and wing it? And why? We’d love to hear from you!
