This will come as no surprise to most of you but time is finite. There aren’t eight days in any week (even if The Beatles “imagine” there are) and there are only so many hours in each day. “Okay,” you say, “I get it.” Well, maybe you’re all doing better than me but I’m having some significant problems recently having to do with time. I could use that extra day at the end of a week or the extra hour in a day.
As I’ve said before I play multiple roles. I’m a full-time student, a teacher, a graphic designer, and a theatre practitioner (and probably some other things I’m forgetting). At the moment I see my son and wife for only 1-2.5 non-sleeping hours of the workweek. The weekend itself is also somewhat marred by the presence of four-hour rehearsals on each day of the weekend.
I’ve written before about time management but I’m not sure that my productivity is even a question anymore. No matter how productive I am I can’t eliminate the fact that I only physically spend so much time with them during the week. No matter how much “work” I get done my physical presence is required for so many hours a week. My wife, too, is held up for a number of hours during the week by her job. The unfortunate aspect is that our “free times” don’t overlap very frequently.
I know that people out there have it worse than me and mine. So, here’s what I’m asking for: ideas. How do you deal with different schedules? How do you make the most of the time you do have? How do you support each other when times are difficult for both of you? What do you have to give up to make these things happen? Sleep? Money? A job? If I’ve learned anything from Families.com it has been that the visitors to this website have a wealth of knowledge and they are often willing to share that knowledge for the benefit of others. So, can you help?