Where did the time go?

Since many of you have asked me for ideas on how to manage your time to have opportunities to create I thought that this would be a good time to share a couple tips.  I hope they are helpful for you as you plan to make this upcoming holiday season a special time for your family. (There are only 12 weeks until Christmas!)

1. Put the big rocks in place first.  When managing your time, place a special value on the the things that are the most important.  Spend time on those things first rather than the smaller, less-important things that steal your time away.  Don't be driven by the urgent, be driven by the important!  

2. Set realistic expectations for yourself.  Let's face it, you're going to mess up.  Creating shouldn't be a chore.  Check your pride at the door.  Mess-ups shouldn't paralyze you.

3. Collect Ideas wherever you go.  Inspiration is all over the place.  Train yourself to think creatively.  When you start collecting early you can be choosy about the ideas you want to implement and then start planning.  A great tool for collecting ideas is google notebook. 

4. Be supportive of your spouse's interests.  When you are genuinely in support of  your spouse's interests they will be supportive of yours and see the value of you spending your time pursuing those things.  Work together to come up with a reasonable plan.

5. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.  Do as much as you can when you can.  Be reasonable and be intentional with your time.  Again, put the big rocks first (family, friends, faith etc.) then the smaller rocks like creative time will fit in.

6. Evaluate.  Take time to evaluate how you are spending your time.  Be willing to ask those close to you for their input and be ready to hear their response.  Have a soft, teachable heart and be willing to change if you need to.

7. Keep your supplies accessible.  You may not have a craft room like Martha's, but that doesn't mean you can't keep a few of your most useful tools close by.  Then you don't have to spend time searching all over the house for what you need.

8. Seek out accountability.  Start a blog!  This is a great tool for accountability to start a project and actually finish it!  Starting a craft club is another great way to set aside time to start and finish a project.  

NOTE: For more great tips, check out The Inspired Room blog.  Check back there often because Melissa plans to give us "simple ideas and traditions that will help us enjoy all the wonder of the holidays while keeping the meaning of the season in focus" for the next few weeks and months!  I'm excited!