December Daily 2010 | Finding Time, Making Time, Trading Time

OOh, good question! I look forward to seeing the answers as I'm one maxed-out-working-mum-of-two.

I guess it helps me that my husband is really good at trying to give me some 'me time' so I'll be playing that card lots this month! I shall have a think about other possible solutions.

What do I give up? To me, finding time to do something is all about making it a priority. It might mean I don't check into Facebook, or perhaps I don't get to finish that chapter in the book I'm reading. Then again, I don't spend more than a half hour each day working on my album. It's ready to go, so I just need to journal. I take the pictures daily, but I don't edit them and print them until Friday or Saturday. I'm a teacher, and I find it's easier for me to take the pictures daily, but edit and print them each weekend. My journaling is hand written, so there's no effort to that. Last year, we ended up traveling unexpectedly over the actual holiday and I left my journal at home. I simply typed up my journaling each day, and when I got home, I rewrote it into my album. P.S. It's OK to buy a premade album (Etsy has tons). It's all about making it easy for you.

I am by no means an expert -- but I do the journaling each night before bed (if possible) and print the pictures every couple days (I don't have an awesome printer @ home) So I batch it a little -- which helps. I use post-it notes & put those in my wallet if there are little things I don't want to forget during the day. I don't worry so much about the layout -- figuring simple/straight forward & DONE is better than fancy and embellished. I am a single-mom who works full-time & the last 2 years I was grad school too -- so it can be done. I was helpful for me to remember the book is for me and my son most of all -- it might not be something anyone else will oooo or ahhhh over -- and that's ok. :)

TV is definitely on my list of things that gets dropped. I used to find myself cleaning up from dinner, then parking myself in front of the television for the rest of the evening, almost every night of the week. Now I think I watch *maybe* two or three hours worth of TV all week long, total. I still use the DVR to record my favorite show, but I watch it without commercials and that saves time too!

My plan is to make this album as simple as possible in 2 ways. 1). Keep the same formatting for each page and only change up the number of photos. 2). Mandatory: use a handy calendar to write quick notes of the day's events. If I'm short on time for the day, at least I can go back and get the photo or write the journaling that I missed the next day (or two).

Well I am retired so I can shift time easier than someone who works and has little ones BUT I give up face book and computer time to do my albums because I spend waaay too much time on FB

The first thing I'd say not to cut back on are your workouts, this is the month that workouts matter. It will relieve your stress, keep you healthy during these yummy tons of homemade goodies kinda days, keep you sane and clear out your thoughts. It sounds like your off to a good start already especially the crock pot idea. I agree with the above comments and especially Kim saying a premade album is perfect. I plan on doing my journaling right into my album that very day and printing pictures on the weekend. I also give up all my other scrapbooking projects for this month it just makes it easier for me to make time for the decorating and the family time stuff. I also have project life album so that helps me take one photo a day and journal in it every few days. Maybe if your kids are old enough to help you can include them in this and help pick the photo of the day and let them do the journaling that way it's a family project and you won't feel guily not spending time with them. Years later it would be so cool for you to see your child's handwriting and see their stories. What else above all is what Ali says make this very simple photos and words, which is what I'm sticking to this year since it's my first year. Next year I plan on doing some fun stuff with mine. Keep it simple and sweet.

Another idea Ali has said is to make it just the twelve days or whatever amount of days works for you. So please don't let this chance go by. I even talked my sisters into joining me and can't wait for us to share our albums togehter after the new year. We are each doing a different version and I'm so excited. Another reason is I just lost my grandpa two months ago and I so wish I had done this last year but I passed it because I thought it would be to hard. Not this year I'm making the time because now I know there never really is a good time you just have to do it. Hope this helps and I'm looking forward to the comments today too, thanks for this Ali.

Good luck to all of you DD doers!!

I love the concept of "trading time". I always tell people who look at my scrapbooks and to-do lists that we all have the same 24 hrs in a day, LOL. You just pick and choose what you want to do.

I work full time out of the house and have three kids, a husband, and a dog. There is never a lack of something to do! But my goal for this year and December Daily is to let a few more things go (like putting laundry away each and every night - it can sit there for a day without any harm!), enlist the help of the kids more (who says kids can't help load the dishwasher or vacuum, right?), and most of all just keep it simple. My focus will be on the stories you wouldn't thinkg to tell...instead of decorating the tree pictures, how about a December Daily about the five most cherished ornaments?

We'll see how it goes, I'll be anxiously reading everyone else's replies!!

Cheers,

Steph

Putting an album together shouldn't take much time. I lOVED this project last year, so this year I decided to get my sisters and sister in law involved. I premade 5 December Daily albums. Very simple - just cut a variety of papers 8x6, add a few 8x4, added envelopes... hole punched them. DONE. They can work on a cover later. I even printed some DD information for them to read. Should say some of them got really excited.

Finding time... First of all, I think of what I'll write about before actually sitting down to do so, for example - while doing dishes, or cleaning. And when my kids are watching TV or already in bed, I download pictures, pic my favorite photo or two, and type my journaling. I guess I don't mind going to bed later...

re: steph I like your idea of escalating the emotional content of the usual stories- of course I'm going to take the "icing the cookies" photo, and the "tree with the lights on" photo- but instead of the rather mundane journaling I might depend on "we had so much FUN decorating our tree this year, blah blah..." I might think about the emotions the moment brings up for me... most often gratitude, but what about pride, sadness, or even sillyness? I'm all about getting down the stories- my 6 year old goes through the 2008 and 2009 versions so much- and I listen to the questions she asks... maybe I can start with those in my 2010.

As for what I'm trading this year? probably sleep:-) definitely tv, and I have more time on the weekends,so I will probably do a few marathon scrapping session 3 or 4 times in the month to get caught up.

I block off 8-9pm in the evening for scrapping time. DS is in bed and DH & I will have eaten, chores will be done. I then join DH for anything we want to watch on the TV at 9pm ... with a hot cup ot tea! (We parents of toddlers know how to live!)
This last week I've found myself pre-planning pages: 1st is the visit to Santa (nice and early, so there is time to produce the Christmas cards using the Santa photo) and the 9th will be DS's Nursery School Christmas production.
Easy in theory!

For me its at the end of the day, usually about 8pm when kids are in bed and my hubby is watching tv, thats when I go into my craft room and create. I like it then its quiet and I figure what is not done by 8pn can just wait to the next day. I need to do this to keep me sane and to make sure I give a little bit back to me.

Time is precious for me this time of year because I work full-time plus we have a family trip to Disney planned in mid-December. I plan on giving up some of my computer time in the evening to work on my page. If I get super busy and don't have the time, I have a little notebook that I will journal and clip the photo to along with the date. Then when I have free time I will add to my album. Love the DD.

I'm not doing the DD this year. Just knew it wouldn't happen, but last year, I used post-it notes for each day with ideas for journal or actual journalling (to be handwritten in the album) and then on Friday night uploaded photos and then picked them up on Saturday. I only worked on my album on Saturdays/Sundays when my husband was home. - sometimes I had to set the timer for 15 here and 15 minutes there, just to get something done. I'll admit is was after new years before I completed it and a few days were left out along the way, but it is one of my most treasured albums. My husband and kids love it.

I'm a morning person, and when I get up the house is still and quiet. I can get more done in an hour than I can attempt in half a day when my family is up and about. So, maybe get up half an hour earlier and see how that works out for you. I think the suggestion on batching and editing/printing photos on the weekend is a great idea. I do that, too, though I don't put a lot of effort in editing. I print and call it good. I allow myself freedom in journaling: some days it a word list, others a few sentences, and others still a page full.
As far as meal planning, I double the crock pot ingredients for soup and chili, and freeze half for a future meal. I have an extra-large crockpot (http://www.crock-pot.com/Product.aspx?cid=113&pid=400&tab=2) and I can easily prepare two portions at once. At doctor appts and such, I will journal or jot down page ideas on my smart phone. I also practice what I call "container scrapbooking". I DD my project stuff in a basket, and keep it handy on a counter. This saves me time by keeping me limited to what's in the basket, and focused on my project, not distracted by all the possibilities in my stash. Also, it's just pretty doggone convenient. If I travel during December, I just pick up my basket and go. I hope this helps. Congrats on tackling this project...you will be so glad you did. Merry Christmas!

I don't watch TV. I use the time that I might spend doing other things on the project. Not that I always finish them immediately, but usually by January 1 they are complete. We love to review the albums from years past during the Christmas season. It is a great way to see how the kids have grown.

Most of the time, working on my album is a night time activity for me. I work from home, so my time is flexible, but it’s still occupied. I approach the project by looking for the story of each day. I’m seeking out a moment, an object to photograph, an emotion of the day. Last year I was often surprised by what that story wound up being, such as surprise car failure and tow truck incident. But cars break down, dishwashers go out, someone stays home sick unexpectedly, every year. It’s part of the story. I think that if you are open to simply telling the story of your holiday season, you’ll find the time, even if it comes in three-hour blocks once a week.

This is an important question for anything we set out to accomplish! I have decided to not think about perfect pages--just simple completed stories. I could always add decorative details later but photos and story opportunities could be lost if I don't give myself permission to focus on this project each day. The end and the beginning of the day are my favorite times to write so I plan to use those--10 to 15 minutes can be an amazing amount of time. I also plan to just write a story that comes to my mind--even if it is from the past or just a moment from the day--there may not be a photo.

***Ali your triathlon experience inspired me. Yesterday I ran my first race ever--the Seattle Marathon. I made a conscious choice to end while I was feeling positive and perky after 21 miles--as I have a more than busy week of training and teaching this week. Best of all I am not stiff and sore today and I am planning for my next marathon. I had a great time and met some wonderful people--and learned about being in a race. I won't need to be so nervous the morning of the race next time!

My sister-in-law and I are both doing our first DD this year. We got together the day after Thanksgiving late at night and put together our albums. It was a lot of fun and gave us some mommy "down time", and just was an excellent way to fellowship with each other. I can already tell that this will become a new part of our holidays, and I'm very excited.
I have two teenagers and a 3 and a 1 year old, so I do most of my work at night when my family are ALL sleeping. Finding time during the day is pretty much impossible, but I like the "night time" catch up routine. It works well for me. Kind of lets me decompress too with a cup of iced coffee and the fireplace turned on, you know?

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