Balancing Work, Home and Exercise

robinhardysmall
robinhardysmall Posts: 246 Member
in Chit-Chat
So I just recently went back to the gym after a very long time period~ I have been married a little over two years. Until last year my husband traveled quite a bit so I didn't have to worry about cleaning up too much just after me.

Unfortunately I have a very Type A personality in that everything has a place and it should be there~ my issue is that I work a full-time job and two part-time jobs. I usually get done around 10pm by the time I work my regular day job - go to the gym- work my second job- and then try to eat!

That whole thing of laundry and doing dishes and cleaning has just gotten out of control!!

How do you balance life?

Replies

  • hegiahazman
    hegiahazman Posts: 13 Member
    Get a cleaning lady!! You do too much already. Do the work you love, take care of your body, and get the help you need.
  • stephaniehope
    stephaniehope Posts: 23 Member
    I'm facing this struggle too... We just recently moved back home to TX (to be closer to family as my fiance and I get ready to tie the knot and start our own family), and at first, I had secured a job, while my fiance was still looking, so he would take care of EVERYTHING at home, while I would go to work, workout, come home, shower, and then be ready to sit down and eat with him (yep, he'd even cook dinner while I showered!)... but now he's working too (which we really need the extra income, so it's good) but now it means that we need to share home responsibilities. I'm trying to adjust to going to work, doing the best I can there, finding time to work out, trying to eat healthy on a small budget (agh wedding expenses!!!) and then cleaning and maintaining at home... Our finances have not been where I want them either, as in we're not really watching our budget, so that's another task I'm faced with... trying to find time to track and manage all that!!! Haha... So, I know what you mean...

    I know that hasn't been very helpful, but I think the biggest things is prioritizing our time. I used to lead a very busy lifestyle when I was young, and managed to do so much then, you would think I can do it now too... I think my biggest challenge is fighting the feeling of being tired, I just need to learn how to push through it. Especially since, we're hoping to start trying to have a baby not long after the wedding, and then things will get even more crazy!
  • spikefoot
    spikefoot Posts: 419
    I wish there was an answer, I am married and have two 2.5 year olds. M wife works full time, I work full time and also because of childcare complications I am a part time stay at home dad.

    I typically don't exercise after 9:30pm since I run the risk of making me too wired to sleep and I have very little time during the day.

    I find I have to recognize how 20 minutes is still a great chunk of time and it can be freed up fairly easily with a bit of discipline on my part. Lately I have been doing little short amounts of exercise because that is all I can fit in. Cleaning etc... is overtaking our lives as well. I am really aiming to eliminate clutter in the house, have everything organized and a place for everything. Basically getting the house to a point where it more naturally stays neat. I try to make a point of putting dishes away, tidying up stuff etc. in an attempt to reduce some of the "required" cleaning time.

    You seem busy though, and aside from wearing a weighted vest and ankle weights to work perhaps just write down your day on paper and really look at some ways that you can streamline it to allow for the quantity of exercise you require. I am just as guilty but I am sure some time gets wasted on this site in a day..haha

    Best of luck :)
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    Hi,
    Ok, I am not currently in your position, but I have been in your position in the past. Here is what I did:
    *I got up early in the am to execise. I swam 4 mornings a week from 5:00-6:30 am. I was at work by 7:00. If it were now, I'd probably do the 30 Day Shred most days or run for 30 minutes.
    *I used my crockpot for most dinners. I filled it up with stuff for veggie soup or whatever the night before, plugged it in before I went to workout (or got my husband to plug it in before he left the house for work).
    *I did a load of laundry every day
    *I did basic cleaning daily (counters, table, swept my floors, took out trash, wiped down toilets, etc.) daily- but it was a 20-30 minute routine. I saved the deeper cleaning for about once a month.

    Good luck!
  • LovinLifeChik
    LovinLifeChik Posts: 126 Member
    Life can be a challenge, that's for sure! For most of my career, I've had jobs that required much more than 40 hrs a week in the office.And for a bit of that, I also travelled quite frequently. My biggest concerns then were making sure the house was clean, getting laundry done and having a cooked meal for my husband, when I was home to share it with him - or to have meals ready for him to make when I was travelling. I stressed all the time over what I wasn't getting done! Then a few years ago, I joined the Board of a local Farmers' Market - which currently eats up a portion of my "extra" time for about 10 months out of the year.

    My job has taken a bit of a turn in the last year or two - and I work much closer to a 40 hr schedule during the week - but with the volunteer market responsibilities, and normal household responsibilities, I still felt stress over everything.

    It took me a bit, but I've learned to accept that I can't do everything I put pressure on myself to do...and how to be ok with that! I'm not the perfect "dieter" or exerciser - but I make time to ensure I put priority on those things, for my health! I make sure I spend time with my husband, and most recently working to plan meals that are healthy - but don't kill me on time to prepare. I agree with a responder above - crock posts rock!!

    Outside of that - while my house isn't the cleanest or most organized on the block - it isn't bad either...and that's ok! I do the best I can and accept that this is what I can do - yet I do push myself to make sure that my best is really my best, and not my settled.

    Don't beat yourself up - serioulsy. Stress can be worse on your than extra weight or unhealthy eating. Just find what works for you - and do your best!!
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    Get a cleaning lady!! You do too much already. Do the work you love, take care of your body, and get the help you need.

    What a great idea, why didn't I think of that? Oh yeah, because not EVERYONE can afford a cleaning lady. Thanks for rubbing it in though.
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    I deal with it. 24/7/365 single dad of 2 kids. You do what you need to and find the time as you can.

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