No wonder I’m feeling pressure and no wonder some people are unhappy. I’m only working about 1/2 of that.

Like I said, if I’m to put in the big rocks first, I need to schedule my family time first. What I’ve discovered is that quality time only comes after quantity time. To have quality time, not just with the family as a whole, but with individual members, I need time – and sometimes that needs to be just chillin on the couch, doing nothing.

Lately, my Darling Daughter has been taking me by the hand into her room. She turns to The Wife and says, “We’re going to be having a little ‘Daddy Time.’”

How can I possibly combine that with something else?

@Blogan, I was waiting for someone to bring this up! Being a logical sort of guy, I’ve laid this out all clean and precisely, but in reality, it doesn’t always work that way. (Great alternative ending BTW!)

I took my Darling Daughter to some meetings a few weeks ago, after a couple of weeks of insistence. She now understands the trauma a 3 y.o. can feel in one of those “boring” meetings. But this week, Monday and today, she “really, really, really” wanted to go with me. Tonight as we lay on the couch I told her when she is about five, she can probably go with me more.

There are definitely times of overlap, meals, tonight’s time with the preschoolers, etc – but some of it is still messy, and being an introvert, my time at Starbucks today wouldn’t have been the same with someone else there.

PS: Monday’s #WestSideTweetup was very refreshing for my soul.

First, I like the alternate ending of the rocks in the bucket story. Substitute your beverage of choice.

Second, I’ve recently found that I can combine activities. For example, I take Melissa to piano lessons and then go to Insomnia and relax for nearly an hour. Sounds great for me, but Jamison’s home alone for that time. This week I took Jamison, had my relaxing time with a black forest mocha while I played Sequence with Jamison. Everyone had a good time (except maybe Melissa at piano lessons). Another example: I take Meisa on walks in the morning and the evening. It’s reasonable exercise, time to clear my head, and eliminates messes on the floor. Last night I took Jamison with me. I still got my exercise and avoided the messes on the floor. I also got some more time with Jamison. My relaxing time came later.

You might find that you can combine some of your prioirty items, too. Can you include your family in some of your volunteering time, your food prep and eating time, exercise time, prayer time, etc? Maybe you can overlap eating with socializing (like organizing a tweetup).

Good luck, this isn’t easy.

– Is only 2 hrs/day adequate amount of time for a top priority? (Only time and eternity will tell…)

“We claim progress, not perfection.”