Last week I wrote about Letting Go of Who You Were to Find Out Who You Are Now. I’ve been thinking about these topics quite a bit lately. In the process, I ran across this quote:
“Because how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Annie Dillard
People often talk about how your belongings own you in a sense because everything you bring into your home you have to maintain, take care of, store, etc. I realized that this is also true of this website.
Everything I create I have to maintain. Every single post and every single page has to be maintained, updated, uploaded, etc. This is something I’ve been discussing with other bloggers, especially those who create products/printables and have been at it since at least 2013 or so. From 2013 to 2019 there were a few significant waves of writing and doing business online. During this timeframe I and others created so much stuff. And every single thing we created has to be maintained, updated, uploaded, rebranded, and managed. We all find ourselves struggling with sites full of posts, products, printables, free printables, opt-ins, etc. It’s truly overwhelming.
It leaves me drowning in minutia and details.
A few weeks ago I realized I’m just tired of sitting in front of this computer. The hours and days I spend sitting here are creating my life. And if I’m not really deliberate about those choices, it simply takes on a life of its own.
You may or may not have noticed that I haven’t written a new 20 Goals for 2020 post. I decided I’m not going to continue to do them. They took about an hour to create every Wednesday between writing them, finding a photo to purchase, editing, linking related posts, etc. If I continued doing them, 46 precious hours of my life will go just to doing that every week. That’s almost two full days worth of life. Or the equivalent of almost 6 work days based on 8 hours. An entire WEEK of 2020 work time would be devoted just to doing those posts. I realized it was not worth it. They weren’t posts that people were engaging with and I decided that they were done. I’m not willing to devote a week of my life to them. Not at all.
So I’ve been systematically doing the same thing with every product, every post idea, every series idea, etc. I have over 300 products that all need to be updated and then re-uploaded to my site.
The reality is I’m really a writer more than anything. That’s why I started a blog in 2005. I wanted to write without always having to go through the formal submission process for publication. It was like a whole new world. But I’m a writer drowning in printables and planners and worksheets and posts so I never have time to do what I really want to do which is write new content about meaningful things.
So David and I have been trying to figure out what is worth keeping, what is worth updating, what can be combined, etc. Because this is simply not sustainable long-term.
And it’s not how I want to spend my hours and days creating my life.
So you aren’t seeing much new content here lately and I’m sorry for that. I’m trying to spend less time sitting in front of this computer and more time with my family, my books, and my bed. I’m also trying to streamline and simplify things. We’re working on the new Editable Homeschool Planners and I’m reworking them to make them simpler and easier to handle from year to year.
I’m trying to tackle what feels like an overwhelming task at times, but a necessary task that contributes enough to our family that I can’t just delete it all. It’s a challenging balancing act right now as I find myself wanting to just delete massive amounts of stuff to not have to deal with it, but know that I can’t do that for the most part.
So in-between I relax with politics and coronavirus updates on YouTube. LOL!
Laugh or cry, people. It’s one of my mottoes in life. I choose to laugh, even if it is dark humor at times.
So as you are thinking about your time, consider this. As I write this today, there are 315 days left in this year. How you spend one hour each day will add up to the equivalent of 13 full 24 hour days. The choices you make for one hour each day will be the equivalent of how you spend two full weeks of this year.
The way you spend two hours each day is almost a full month of 2020.
And you don’t get them back.
Neither do I.
Choose wisely because those hours are creating your life.
In Our Cozy Home This Week No. 16 – Basement Cleanout
This is such a timely reminder for me. Sometimes I feel like I’m the “angsty” blogger, always wanting to rebel against the way you’re “supposed” to do blogging(; But I think part of that is because the way you’re supposed to do blogging takes up SO much of one’s time, and I’m not willing to make such a sacrifice! So I have to figure out what’s the best way to spend my in-front-of-a-screen time so that I’m okay with those hours taking up weeks and months of my life. I think every year I’ve blogged I’ve gotten a little more clarity on how to do that. I’m looking forward to spending some retreat time this summer making a more solid, intentional plan going forward for my second decade of blogging.
Hi Elsie,
I’m glad this was a helpful post.
I’ve realized that the people who decide how we are “supposed” to do blogging are primarily people who have a buck to make off everyone who will follow their advice. A lot of blogging advice is actually not “good” advice except for making blogging gurus money. I know that sounds cynical, but it’s true. These guidelines are especially bad for certain types of writers as evidenced by how many people give up, get burned out, etc.
I hope you are able to find what works for you moving forward. Thank you for the comment!
Sallie
I have been doing this in my life as well. I want my moments to count. I have been analyzing where I waste time and eliminating those things. There is just so much out there…we have to weed through it all. I look forward to your writings I have enjoyed them so much over all these years. I also follow the forum regularly. Getting rid of FB really helped me…don’t miss it at all, been 2 months. I want to focus on my relationship with Jesus and husband.
Hi Kelly,
I’m glad you found leaving FB helpful. There is just so much stuff in life to distract us.
Did you see Brenda’s post I linked to in the forum this morning? It is a good look at overchoice and how to deal with it. I know that is something I’m rooting out in my own life in several areas (clothes, hobbies, books, etc.).
Good to hear from you!
Sallie
Hi Sallie,
What a great quote and reminder. Your site is quite wonderful and the work and thought you’ve put into it is obvious, but I’m sure it must feel freeing to consciously make some changes. Your family will be happy too, I’m sure.
“Choose wisely because those hours are creating your life.” Yes. I think it’s why I’ve done essentially no social media on a personal level and just recently have added tiny private group amounts to be able to stay up to date with my daughter’s choir announcements and participate in some very limited parenting/home education groups. I think it’s hard for people in my real-time, natural life to understand (and I miss a lot of updates about people that everyone else knows about) but because I really do enjoy researching online, I feel it isn’t wise for me to add more time in front of a computer – to also be drawn into moment to moment images of everyone’s children, pets and meals. I see it’s of value for many people but for me, it just takes me out of being present in my own life.
That is such a great statement….”it just takes me out of being present in my own life”. All the stuff out there keeps us from our own life….I am reading farm wife diaries right now and I love how they had such simple lives and they did indeed live in the moment.
Hi Erin,
I agree with Kelly. This is a great way to put it: “it just takes me out of being present in my own life.”
This is something I struggle with because all of my life is so integrated and wrapped up in the computer and online world. It’s great in some ways and makes it challenging in others.
I am happy with the changes I’m making. I’m seriously slimming down the website to make sure everything on it is truly helpful and worth keeping. It is taking some time to do all this, but I already feel lighter. I know it will be worth it in the end and look forward to doing more new things as I wrote about in my goals post this morning instead of juggling all the “stuff” already on it.
Sallie
Sallie – I have been pondering this lately. I enjoy blogging and it used to be that I hoped to “help” or encourage as many women as I could. According to everyone, in order to do that I should have an Instagram, a blog/vlog, a YouTube channel………….and on and on……………. My goodness!!!! How does anyone get anything done? NONE of these only take a second or two – some literally take hours/days. And that’s just not me. I can’t and I won’t. So, I will just be content with the blogging (though for some that even seems outdated) and even if only a hand-full of women enjoy reading what I have to offer, I am content with that. Thanks again, Sallie for your post!!!!!! SO good as always. Have a good upcoming week!
Hi Mary,
You are so right in that to do things “properly” according to the “experts” it takes hours and days. Most of those experts are trying to make money selling an expensive product or course. I don’t mean to sound cynical. That’s just reality. Some people will find their services worth it and some of us won’t.
I think we each have to find the combination that works for us. I know some bloggers truly love Instagram and for them it isn’t a chore. I have never been able to get into it. It seems way too complicated to me, but I’m not a picture person so that’s probably why.
Whatever we each choose to do on our own sites, it has to meet our needs in our homes. Yes, we want to help and encourage others, but it can’t be at the expense of our own family life and well-being.
Good to hear from you!
Sallie
Dear Sally;
In my time on line I was very involved in adding my voice to another mom’s blog. This family has poured their lives into making it a wonderful place to listen, learn, and share thoughts/prayers/advice/praise. They also sold hand made products.
This sweet mom poured her heart into her blog but it became to much. It was taking her away from her precious husband and children. She has made the very best choice and I was honored that she felt supported by others and my own advice. She made the decision to stop posting and focus on the precious, precious time she has with her loved ones. I miss that time but it sits in my heart as a gift from God. Others on her blog encouraged and blessed me as well.
Hi Birdie,
Your comment made me think about this post from Raising Real Men.
https://www.raisingrealmen.com/2016/02/titus-2-lessons-from-a-friends-funeral/
Sallie
Thankyou for sharing their site Sallie 8-). In the early years of home learning Melanie was such an inspiration to me.
It’s stopping, as an individual and thinking about “counting the cost”. Jesus calls us one by one. I will listen to Him first.
Hmmm….. Good point, and something I’ll have to think on.
Thank you for sharing that link, Sallie. I have been thinking a lot about this lately and that post speaks volumes.