There has been a distinct lack of posting this week, mainly due to me trying to do too much and not achieving anything.
When it comes to simplifying my life I talk a very good game, but the reality is, I’m even busier than ever. What I’ve been trying to do, and this is quite hard to put into words, is live the life I want, alongside a very demanding job. I’ve been distracted at work, as all I want to do is be a home, and I’ve been stressed at home, as I know I should be doing some more work. My time management is all over the place and I have far too many, self inflicted, things to do.
The question is, how do you stop this? as I have to do. I’m a physical wreck. Teaching yourself that you can’t do everything, is a difficult thing to do when you have my type of personality, I can’t do things by halves. I can’t have one blog, I have to have four. I can’t be on one action party at work, I have to be on four. You get my drift. I’m trying to accomplish too many things and not achieving any ot them.
Any suggestions on how to let somethings go by the wayside, would be greatly appreciated 
Get updates to Move To Portugal here of enter my giveaway here, open until Sunday midnight (GMT)
{photo credit: lakewentworth}
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, you’ve recognized there might be an issue, which is a good start
I think everyone’s personality and agenda is different though, and I don’t there is One True Way to solve this.
I’ve been there myself though. For what it’s worth here are my tips.
1) Following on from your “Dreams” post I would say keep your end goal in mind. If a certain activity doesn’t take you (at least a small step) towards where you want to be, ruthlessly bin it.
For me, that means not running a blog, being very restrictive in my web surfing (I only check maybe 3 or 4 sites daily), not watching TV. The time this has freed up is incredible.
2) Reschedule your day to make time for activities that do matter.
I get up at 5.00am, run, bath and breakfast, and then spend 2+ hours working on my own projects before starting work at 9.00am. I don’t lose time to a commute as I work from home. Working from home was a specific objective I set and worked towards – it didn’t happen without some planning and action on my part. Commuting to London was taking 4 hours out of my day, and costing around £150 per week!
The projects I work on in my spare time are software development projects, which will provide income when I move abroad full time (or part time). For other people that might be blogging or whatever
In the evening I have dinner and visit my kids. I usually have at least one technical book on the go for evening reading, for when I’m not visiting the kids. I try not to do anything too mentally draining in the evening (work wise).
Saturday is gardening, shopping, and relaxation day. I never do anything work related on Saturday. Sunday is kids day, although I will work a couple of hours on my pet projects in the morning (before the kids get up, which as they are both teenagers is not early).
3) Having a routine helps.
Some people find a routine boring. I find it really helps. There’s enough slack at weekends to be flexible. Find something that works for you. For me it’s getting up early – that’s not for everyone.
4) Work is work. I don’t get involved I anything I’m not directly paid to do. I see work as a way to improve my technical skills and stash the cash – nothing more. My days as an eager-to-please geek are over. I’ve been made redundant often enough to know that “the team” and “loyalty” are figments of manager’s imaginations
I always start exactly at 9.00am and finish at 6pm, and I always take my full hour lunch, which is useful for answering personal email, cutting the lawn, hoovering and posting on blogs 
On the other hand if an opportunity comes up to attend training or in some other way add to, or improve, my marketable skills I jump at it with both hands.
5) Write out how you spend your time.
I did this for a while – it helped me see how much time I was wasting watching TV. Quite shocking really, as I never considered myself a big TV user. Doing this exercise for a month or so can be quite revealing. The TV would be gone, but my kids like to watch a couple of programmes when they come over.
6) Let some area of your life slide.
When I moved to my house I spent no time out in the garden – apart from bringing it back to a low maintenance ground zero. That freed up a lot of time, and I did completely renovate the rest of the house. It’s only now that I allocate time to gardening, but keep it to a minimum as is consistent with improving it (bit by bit).
At the end of the day it’s about priorities. For example, I wanted to run a political blog, but realized it’s unlikely to fund my stay abroad, whereas providing consultancy over the Net, and selling software products does work (I spent a year as a freelance contractor to test this theory, so it was a proven model – I went back to permanent to get skills in a particular area (databases)).
Note, I’m not saying you should stop writing this blog!, as I’m sure it is helping you towards your goals, and I like reading it
, but four blogs? You could probably do something there – cut down to the most important blog perhaps.
I’m not saying this will work for you or anyone else, it helped me though.
P.S. why isn’t there a post preview facility?
[Reply]
Those are some great tips provided to you. I have to agree with #5. You’d be amazed how much time is wasted watching TV (my DH loves TV. That is why I am aware how much time it wastes – lol).
You and I both have the classic Type A personality. Always needing to keep busy. Sometimes with too much. That is why I am trying to embark on the simpler live without taking on more. ha! Its prove to be a challenge. Although, I think the recent refocusing that has been going on has been keeping me just as busy, but now I am doing tasks I truly enjoy.
I hope soon to be able to work from home. This, I would love, because it would diminish that 2 hour commute a day!
Christine (money funk)’s last blog post..Happy Friday!
[Reply]
Thank God for Tony’s tips, because I have none to offer!
And I’m in a similar boat to you. I’m striving for a healthier, more-mindful life, but I’m not walking the talk. I blog about getting more sleep and taking care of my body, but I’m not doing it.
I’ve decided that I need to set aside some blogging time each day, and that’s it. Once I’m over my limit, not blog-surfing and etc. I’ve got to find a way to organize this time better. (TV is not a problem for me, because I don’t watch that much. My favorite 2 shows add up to 90 minutes per week.)
Good luck.
kirwin’s last blog post..My Signature Style, a few more layers
[Reply]
yeah, great tips Tony. thanks for taking the time to share.
My tip is this quote, which is one of my favourites
“Somethings got to give, and it isn’t gonna be me”
Which means – to me – that you have to shelve something because you don’t want it to be YOU that cracks up. So ditch something. Or follow Tony’s tips cos they seem really good.
mo’s last blog post..day 9
[Reply]
I can’t think of a single thing to add that hasn’t already been said, except that I love the blog photo of an old REO Speedwagon. The Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg Tennessee has a restored one of these in active service as a firetender. So, the next time you go over the top, think of your blog and the photo you posted, sit back with a glass of Tennessee Sour Mash Sippin’ Whiskey and CHILL!
J1mbo
Professionally Unemployed and enjoying every minute of it
j1mbo’s last blog post..Seven Days Without Pizza Makes One Weak
[Reply]
Ooof, you poor thing, you sound frazzled! I sympathise! It sounds like what I used to experience with my old weekend conundrum – if I was busy at the weekend I’d feel panicked that I hadn’t had a rest, and if I didn’t do anything, I’d feel like I’d wasted my time.
If work is being really demanding at the moment, the only advice I can impart from bitter experience is to LEAVE WORK AT WORK. When you’re home, try your best to forget it. It’s not easy and it will take a bit of practise. I found that it helped to do a TO DO TOMORROW list at the end of the day, then it’s firmly fixed in your head that it’s to be done TOMORROW. Then when you’re at home, be there 100%.
Also, do you feel like you’ve got to do everything yourself? Is it possible to delegate some things to a loving other for a week or two, just until you feel like you’ve caught up with yourself?
Tony’s tips are great – and I had no idea you had four blogs!
Kat’s last blog post..Tackling The Toxic With Tea Therapy
[Reply]
thank you all for your advice and kind comments
Tony Wow! Thank you.
J1mbo lol
Kat, I’m mobile with work so I’m run by my blackberry and laptop. I have them with with me all the time and working in retail, the shops only shut sunday night
I am working on all this though.
mo, i’m gonna ditch lots
Christine, i do always need to be busy, why do I though?
kirwin, i going to start with the sleep and try to get more
[Reply]
Brilliant tips from Tony, there, I thought.
I can TOTALLY relate to this post, Laura, and I don’t have any great answers either. So, I haven’t got anything useful to say, really, other than that I sympathise. xx
[Reply]
Thank you Caroline. Need to get ruthless with our time I think
[Reply]
I have been thinking exactly the same thing, though reading your post made me see exactly what my own problem was and inspired a post of my own on the same subject! Hope it is all falling into place…
Shoestring’s last blog post..Day 45: Ta da!
[Reply]