Finding the Time
- Hello? Are You There? - July 22, 2024
- Rediscover Running: Find Your Way Back to Your Passion - June 28, 2024
- Embracing Winter Runs: Gear Review and Transitioning to Spring | A Guide to Cold Weather Running - April 25, 2024
Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.
– Henry David Thoreau
This past Friday while I was at the doctor’s office with my wife for her post-birth follow-up appointment, it dawned on me. My son was now six weeks old. Six weeks! Man it went by so fast…and I know it will continue to do so. The little guy has gotten so big over the past six weeks, had some many “firsts”, it just amazes me. But it also got me to thinking…what over the past six weeks have I accomplished that I set out to do?
I wanted to take time to spend with my son and support my wife in taking care of him. Mark this one-off as accomplished. Luckily I was able to take time off of work, as well as work from home for a few weeks to do this. This gave me some very important time to bond with my son, and bond as a family as my wife and I shared the duties of taking care of him. Sure, some of it’s mundane…changing diapers, feeding, soothing (for both my son and my wife)…but it’s those things that help build a solid relationship. So, take the time to bond with family and son. Check.
I wanted to take time to start running again. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, after the Philadelphia Rock ‘N Roll half marathon last September, I pretty much took a whole year off. So, I figured with the time off of work, I’d be able to get back into running while doing all the new parenting responsibilities. And it worked…for a week or two. And then I started commuting again. The commute sucks my time (the other day it took me 2+ hours to get home) and sucks my will to do anything…even running. Ok, let’s be honest…it just sucks. The desire is there, I have my reason to run, but I just need to find the time. So, take the time to start running again. Half a check.
I also wanted to take time to catch up on the things I enjoy…like reading, blogging, and getting involved with social media. Let’s just say that this one was much easier to do than the running, as all of the above either involve sitting on the couch or sitting in a chair in front of a computer. Much easier to do and much easier to find the time to do since I can also do most of these on my phone on the go. Holding or feeding my son and catching up on twitter or blogs is some easy multitasking. Doing those while running, not so easy. So as you can see, I jumped on twitter, started a blog, and have read several books over the past month (perhaps I’ll do a post of my favorite books and authors soon). Catch up on things I enjoy? Check.
They say it’s important to take the time to enjoy what you love. Or, in other words, that’s where the majority of your time should be spent. Right now for me, I have a so-so balance, but leaving at 7 in the morning and not getting home until 5:30 – 6:30 each night, followed by dinner and putting the baby to bed doesn’t leave much time for anything else, especially running which is where I wish I could spend much more time. But like everything in life, finding the time to do what you love takes patience, persistence, and ironically, more time.
TIME! I couldn’t agree more! I find as your things to do increase on your priority list, the more time you will have for them.
The trick is finding time to put that list together!
Yeah, running and working out definitely makes me feel great afterwords…and once I’m in a routine it’s easier to do. It’s just getting into that routine and finding the time to do it that’s the problem…
Your son is so cute. Congratulations. Also, I am glad you are enjoying the social media time. I find it sucks me in very easily. I had to set a 10 computer off bedtime:)
It’s funny…I actually used to hate Twitter…but now I use it a little differently than I did before so it doesn’t stress me out. My son thanks you for the compliment! Thanks for posting!
Mainly I’m just mystified by the idea of time to set and hit goals after six weeks! My running and much else took much longer hit each time a new baby arrived. A long sleepless fog of barely holding it together
Yeah, the first 4-6 weeks were rough. Thankfully he’s settling into a better sleeping pattern, which means I can sleep better. I haven’t yet gotten back into a pattern of running (or running at all sadly), but I’m working on it. Thanks for checking out the blog!