Finding time to write/Writing to find time

Once she grows up and goes to school, I will get back to…

Most mothers would have their own choice of words to complete the sentence. What of the mothers whose kids have ‘gone to school’? They probably mean that once they are done with ensuring homework is done, and the uniforms are ready, and the lunch is packed and the kid is back from the three other classes, and the birthday party, they will complete their sentence.

My kid has gone to college and I still hadn’t started acting on my ‘dream list’. Just attempting to write a short post every day started leading to continuous headaches from lack of sleep. And the frustration of not being able to anything well enough. So, I got into soul searching/serious project planning mode.

Step 1: Excel sheet of all the tasks I ‘need to do’ and ‘want to do’ in a day.

Step 2: Assign estimated time for each task except sleep (added numbers for the worst-case scenario too-so driving time varied from 40 mins to 2 hours)

Step 3: Subtract Sum of all task timings from 24:00:00

Sleep time came to 3.5 hours

Step 4: Freeze timings for all non-negotiable tasks and steal minutes from everything else. Sleep 5.5 hours.

Step 5: Shift some tasks for weekend only (can’t afford to read every day), knock-out some tasks, try multi-tasking (driving and eating breakfast) and hope and pray but the Excel sheet still shows 6.5 hours of sleep.

As all good project managers do, I didn’t even factor in things beyond my control (illness, maid’s illness, unforeseen tasks, etc).

And finally, as all good project managers also do, I decided to ignore the Math and believe that something will work out. I will exercise and read and write and still do justice to the office and household, one day. 

For now, let me be glad that I managed to complete this post today.

The Harried Mom’s survival tips for school days

These are some lessons from life and friends that help make my mornings better. I’ll keep updating the list. Please share as many tips as you can.

• Labeling socks: Yep I’ve labeled them N1, N2.. J1, J2 with embroidery thread and it has taken care of a daily 10 min hassle.
  
• Use Ala: of all permutations and combinations, this has been the most effective in turning brown uniforms to whitish.
  
• Buy multiple sets of uniforms: Most of us managed with two, but where every minute counts, having more sets helps you avoid a lot of stress
  
• Same with water bottles and tiffins: A backup always helps. Especially on the days when the maid doesn’t turn up and you are already so late
  
• Back up maid: This is too much of a luxury, but there is nothing like having two maids, so that atleast one is available when you need her the most.
  
• Making the kids do chores: They don’t get to watch TV unless next day’s bags and uniforms are in order. (I know this is worse than a boot camp, but then..)
  
• Keeping their hair short: This takes a lot of persuasion. But when a minute means the difference of missing the school bus, rippling into driving them two school (that’s 30 mins), it is a struggle to make plaits for two girls. More so because they have to be exact in terms of position and thickness, if I make plaits for one, then obviously……….. and the school rubber bands always go missing at sharp 7:35 am
  
• Moms’ network: I need to call Neetu and ask her to stop the bus for me almost two days a week. She calls me on atleast two days. I call Ruchi when I discover that one of the girls has left her tiffin box or diary on the table, Chitra when the bus driver tells us he has a puncture and cannot come…..The list is a lifesaver.