Surviving Busy

Summertime is in full swing. When people talk about the lazy days of summer, I scoff. As much as I really tried to preserve one last summer of care free days, I still cannot believe how busy we are! Does anyone else need a summer vacation from their summer vacation?

The kids being in a few organized activities along with Brian and I having a few things going on (like my Writing Show at Second City opening), all seemed to converge at the same time, and two weekends ago, we were in a pattern of non-stop go mode for 5 days straight. This summer was supposed to be “the summer of easy” but in order to survive the the busy, I knew I would have to do some serious planning ahead. Here is my list of ways to SURVIVE when you have a busy time going on.

Last run through before show!

1.) Clean your house (and keep it tidy): Don’t get me wrong, there are days when I let making the bed or picking up toys slide. However, there is nothing worse than when you are running from one activity to the next and you have to change clothes or pack a bag quickly, and you are tripping over shoes in the hallway or legos on the floor. Do a thorough cleaning of the house ahead of time, and keep up with the daily small chores throughout the busy surge. You’ll be glad you did when you can get through simple tasks quickly because the house is clean. You’ll also be glad when you collapse on the couch when its all done and you don’t have anything to do but relax!

2.) Do all the laundry (ALL OF IT): A few days before the busyness started I was insane about making sure every piece of clothing and every towel in the house was clean. We were going to be so busy,  that I knew it was going to be a couple days before I could get to do any laundry. I wanted to make sure the kids bathing suits, and my favorite summer outfits were clean, and ready to go for the weekend.

Basking in the glow of our favorite band, Guster!

3.) Stock up the fridge and cabinets: When there is a lot going on it is a perfect excuse to eat out, however, I am the type of person that can only do that so much in a short period of time before I start feeling yucky and my wallet starts feeling too light. I stocked up on lots of convenience foods like cut up veggies, fruit, home made hummus, flavored waters, mason jar salads, and a few frozen pizzas, so that we could eat on the go. The kids had to have a babysitter a few nights of this busy time too, and it was nice for her to have a lot of things at the ready for hungry kids.

4.) Communicate: We kept a detailed plan on the side of the fridge where we would be and when for the entire weekend so everyone would know. We also kept reminding the kids what was coming up each day and in what order so they knew what to expect and would transition nicely from activity to activity. Also, Brian and I were in constant communication with each other when we weren’t together via texts. Finally, our babysitter knew every detail of what was going on and besides texting us an update at bedtime, we have a sheet that we print off with all kinds of information for her. My favorite babysitter sheet is this one from Balancing Acts of Motherhood.

5.) Take care of yourself: This is advice I should have followed better myself during that time, but if you know sleep is going to be limited, try and sleep when you can. Also, stay hydrated and try to eat healthy foods throughout the day. This will help you try and keep up your energy and have more fun!

What are your tips for surviving busy?

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.