Goal #3: Nothing Past Nine

There have been many times as a mother that I think to myself, "When do I get time off?"  Between raising children, trying to be a good wife, cooking dinner, teaching piano, and the constant need to clean the house there is never any ME time.  If you're like me you probably feel a little stressed, overwhelmed, and slightly picked on at times.  (It's okay.  We all feel that way once in a while.)

So, I created goal #3: Nothing Past Nine.  It's more like a rule actually.  Once 9:00 PM hits I get to "clock out."  Everything I do after nine o' clock must be something that I WANT to do--something that makes me happy.  I can read, play the piano, watch a TV show other than My Little Pony, prep meals, plan for the week, get FHE lessons together, scrapbook, etc.  Whatever it is, it has to be something that I want to be doing.

And you know what?--the house has never looked better.  It's amazing how this simple rule has completely changed my outlook on housework.  During the day I work really hard to get things done and spend time with the kids.  Because I've worked so hard during the day, the house looks great by the time 9:00 hits.

Now, there have been times where I actually wanted to clean the house after 9:00.  For example: my hubby was called away to work and I knew he'd get home late.  I had been feeling sick most of the day, so the house was in shambles.  I decided to surprise him and have the dishes done when he got home.  Instead of being another dreaded chore, I enjoyed it--it was...fun!

Notice in the picture above I had the dishes done, but I didn't want to put away everything I hand washed.  I didn't sweep the floor either.  Who cares?  I can do it tomorrow!

So what if there are a couple of toys left to put away in the corner?  Big deal!  I'm not going to worry about it.  This goal is about lessening my stress level and feeling a better overall sense of well-being.  I'm loving it!

Granted, there are times when kids are still crawling out of bed, or are throwing up and need a bath, or whatever else life throws at you where "me time" is impossible.  But, most nights this rule has worked very well.

What do you do to lessen your daily stress levels?  Leave a comment.  I'd love to hear from you!

Turning a New Leaf Goals:

Goal #1: Eat more fruits and vegetables - Time to get healthy!

Goal #2: Drink more water - Because I never drink enough

Goal #3: Nothing Past Nine - Awesome stress relief rule

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