I didn't mean to stay away so long....I really didn't.
Since I have started back working full-time it certainly doesn't leave me much time for anything and as a result my blogging has suffered. When I am struggling to get all the things done that I can on my two days off, blogging is the last thing on my list.
With the wonderful summer like weather upon us I find myself outdoors, cutting and trimming the lawn, cutting back brush, and tending the garden. Even though I'm an early riser some days getting up at 0700 doesn't even give me enough time to do all that I want to do in a day.
I have read so much lately about finding balance in one's life. Finding time for self, others and your community. I have really tried to do something for myself everyday...it's like they say pay yourself first, but sometimes there just isn't enough to go around. That's how I feel about myself. My days are full....but with what. In reflection I find that working 5 days a week a real adjustment for me.
Having worked most of my nursing career doing 12 hour shifts with 4 on and either 4 or 5 off it's hard to go to 5 on 2 off. Case in point. With my 8 hour shifts we do a lot of on call and hence mandatory overtime. An afternoon shift which is 1600-midnight with being on call till 0600 the next morning can and has translated into a 15 hour shift and then you have to come back that afternoon and possibly do it all over again. It's a bit of an adjustment and one that the jury is still out on. I enjoy my job, but I am not sure about the 8 hours. Everyone has told me that even though we shut down operating rooms in the summer the overtime is crazy. I don't mind overtime I just want my life as well.
So this leads me back to finding balance in my life. I am still not 100% post surgery. I have try to get in my yoga and weight training as much as possible, but again sometimes that suffers as when I come home from work, doing a work out is about the last thing I want to do.
As of late birding has been one of my passions. I have really taken a keen interest in learning about the birds in my area. My bird feeder and property are a great start. This spring alone I have observed close to two dozen different varieties of birds on my property. I started a birding blog in order to help me journal the birds that I have seen and to use it as a reference point and connecting with other birders. As you can imagine this to takes time....so although I may not be busy making a post on this blog I am busy posting on my birding blog.
Family is also very important to me. With my children and siblings living on the mainland I take every opportunity I can to connect with them. Trips to the mainland are often a whirlwind. At the beginning of May my brother hosted a "Decade" birthday. His eldest son was turning 30. As it turns out 2009 is the year of the "Decade" birthdays in my family. We have someone in the family celebrating a decade birthday starting from 10 all the ways up to 70, so my brother decided to host the party......
This was the cake.....there are "11" names on that cake......it was a pretty darn scrumptious cake....Every weekend in May was full with family visits and celebrations.
So back to finding balance. It's something I strive for. What do you do to find balance in your life? Or do you think your life is already well balanced?
With the wonderful summer like weather upon us I find myself outdoors, cutting and trimming the lawn, cutting back brush, and tending the garden. Even though I'm an early riser some days getting up at 0700 doesn't even give me enough time to do all that I want to do in a day.
I have read so much lately about finding balance in one's life. Finding time for self, others and your community. I have really tried to do something for myself everyday...it's like they say pay yourself first, but sometimes there just isn't enough to go around. That's how I feel about myself. My days are full....but with what. In reflection I find that working 5 days a week a real adjustment for me.
Having worked most of my nursing career doing 12 hour shifts with 4 on and either 4 or 5 off it's hard to go to 5 on 2 off. Case in point. With my 8 hour shifts we do a lot of on call and hence mandatory overtime. An afternoon shift which is 1600-midnight with being on call till 0600 the next morning can and has translated into a 15 hour shift and then you have to come back that afternoon and possibly do it all over again. It's a bit of an adjustment and one that the jury is still out on. I enjoy my job, but I am not sure about the 8 hours. Everyone has told me that even though we shut down operating rooms in the summer the overtime is crazy. I don't mind overtime I just want my life as well.
So this leads me back to finding balance in my life. I am still not 100% post surgery. I have try to get in my yoga and weight training as much as possible, but again sometimes that suffers as when I come home from work, doing a work out is about the last thing I want to do.
As of late birding has been one of my passions. I have really taken a keen interest in learning about the birds in my area. My bird feeder and property are a great start. This spring alone I have observed close to two dozen different varieties of birds on my property. I started a birding blog in order to help me journal the birds that I have seen and to use it as a reference point and connecting with other birders. As you can imagine this to takes time....so although I may not be busy making a post on this blog I am busy posting on my birding blog.
Family is also very important to me. With my children and siblings living on the mainland I take every opportunity I can to connect with them. Trips to the mainland are often a whirlwind. At the beginning of May my brother hosted a "Decade" birthday. His eldest son was turning 30. As it turns out 2009 is the year of the "Decade" birthdays in my family. We have someone in the family celebrating a decade birthday starting from 10 all the ways up to 70, so my brother decided to host the party......
This was the cake.....there are "11" names on that cake......it was a pretty darn scrumptious cake....Every weekend in May was full with family visits and celebrations.So back to finding balance. It's something I strive for. What do you do to find balance in your life? Or do you think your life is already well balanced?
