Challenge # 2

So, how's it going?

Are you hating the fact that I'm making you write down everything you're doing all day long! I am. It's a pain in the butt. But it's also showing me a lot about how I spend my time. I just had to write down that I spent twenty minutes reading blog posts from a few of the blogs I keep up with. Time well spent? I dunno. It's better than being on Facebook, I guess.

Oh, and I just forgot my favorite that I forgot to read, so I had to jump over to Kelle's blog to catch up there, too. There went another five minutes.

And since I wrote that last sentence, I have answered a phone call, sent a couple of emails, and looked up inflatable bouncing things on the internet for an upcoming birthday party. ,how easily we get distracted! Is that just me?! Sometimes I just wish I could do one thing at a time. You know what I mean?

Oh well.

On another note: I dropped the babies off for counseling today (which is basically the two hours they get to see their mom and dad every week) and I got so worked up about it. Not outwardly, but when I handed them over to their mom and met their dad for the first time, my heart was racing. I can't explain it really. I don't know why it was like that. Part of me wants them to like me....I realize that sounds lame, but I do. I want them to like me and not resent me so we'll be able to build a relationship with them.

I feel like there is so much I want to tell her. I really wish I could just hold onto her arms and look in her eyes and scream, "I am for you!" I just want her to know that. I don't know why I don't just tell her. It's kind of complicated.

I really am for her. I want her to get it together. I want her to have her babies if she wants them. I think that's every mother's right. I really wish I could take her under my wing and fix her, but that's not exactly the way it works.

I am doing my best to build rapport with her. We talked about her job today and about getting together for our little girl's second birthday. I hope that happens. I hope we can meet outside that cold and awkward counseling center....out in the real world.

I guess we'll just wait and see.

So back to our time tracking. I am praying that you are being challenged. I know I am.

How is your personal challenge to add something to your schedule everyday for seven days going? I know it's tough. I did not want to get out of bed this morning, but making a commitment is a big deal, and I knew I wanted to follow through. I'm so glad I did.

Now let's talk a little about down time. There is a big difference in down time and wasted time. Do you have those activities in your schedule that just make you annoyed once you realized how long you spent on them? Those are time wasters. They are not necessary and in some instances, they are emotionally draining. For example: Facebook browsing......it's a time waster, and we all know it. Do you ever feel like a loser after you spent 45 minutes reading the news feed, then checking out someone's pictures, then going back to the newsfeed, and so on and so on? I do! So, I try to stay away.

Now, what about down time? That's different. Down time is necessary and needed to rejuvenate us and keep us motivated and moving forward. You shouldn't ever feel bad about down time.

Down time can be a lot of things to a lot of people. Some of my favorite down time activities include watching a couple of TV shows (not aimlessly browsing the TV), reading, taking a bubble bath, and playing with my kids.

Some of your favorite down time activities may include playing games, watching movies, etc. If games is on your list of down time activities, be careful that you're not letting games become wasted time. There have to be limits.

Are you ready for today's challenge? Did you think I would let you slide by?

From today forward, I want you to keep your commitment to tracking all your activities throughout the day as well as the commitment you made to add something to your schedule, but I also want you to take something away.

What is it that you know you are doing daily that is nothing but a time waster? There is something more than likely. Whatever it is, it's time to give that time wasting activity up for five whole days (just until Sunday!).

If you're still in it to win it, make sure you comment below about what you're going to give up. If you're just joining us and would like to win some cash, make sure you check out Sunday and Monday's posts to catch up.

So what am I giving up? Facebook. Yep. No more browsing for me this week. I am allowing myself to get on to check on my groups once a day (but no reading the newsfeed and no checking out my page). I will continue to update each day's blog post there, but that's it. No more news feed for me!

What about you? What are you giving up for the next five days? It should be a time waster. Let's see what a difference being intentional with our time does for our joy.

P.S. Make sure to check out tomorrow's post ASAP. It will be posted in the morning and has a special message from one of my dear friends! It's something that could help you a lot in the area of being more intentional with your time! I can't wait for you to see it!

.....day 200 of a year of writing.....