I’ve just got no time!!!

I’ve just got no time anymore – how often do we say or hear that?

I’ve recently pondered how I ever thought I was busy or tired before children, but another symptom of parenthood is forgetting your old hobbies and needs. Some of them, of course, have to go – eating at the same time as your partner being a thing of the past, or drinking tea warm – and of course there’s not a lot of recreational drugs that can be taken whilst breastfeeding.

But I’m huge believer that you can get done anything you want to get done and you will make time for something you really want to do. Was that even English? Let me try and explain….

I was groaning the other day as I tried to get up off the floor (after playing with baby not passing out drunk of course) and started lamenting for about the hundredth time the fact that I could no longer do yoga classes. It was only today that I thought wait – what do I want to get from classes? I want to get flexible and relaxed. I want to be able to fold over the way my 12 week old can! And then I realised I don’t need to go to a class to do this –  the Internet can give me the poses I need to practise, iTunes can give me a relaxation track and for about 10 mins a day or 3 times a week I can get chilled and bendy. And the boys can even join in – I’ve seen baby yoga moves that incorporate holding your little one for added strength training (I wouldn’t try this for a handstand pose though). And home yoga actually has some benefits – I’m not paying $20 a time to attend and not running the risk of getting a mat behind the middle age mid life crisis dude squeezing himself into lycra yoga pants (there’s always one in a class).

This can work for any hobby you’ve fancied trying (within reason of course – rock climbing or hang gliding are probably off the cards). I’ve always wanted to learn the harmonica and guess what – there’s an app for it. And I’ve got my toddler a mini one too and although we’re not always productive it’s bloody fun. And that was why I wanted to learn in the first place – to have fun.

I fancied taking on a childcare course so that I can have a career change when I return to work but I’m not sure I could handle the coursework so you know what – I’ve borrowed a heap of relevant books from the library and am challenging myself to get through the reading as if I was studying under deadlines. It gives me an idea of if I can be arsed being a student again with the added bonus that I’m learning stuff I’m into anyway. So far I’ve read about 2 chapters in a fortnight so it’s given me the insight that committing to a one year study from home course probably isn’t for me at the moment. Why do I want to learn childcare? So I can enhance my kids’ upbringing and down the track get a job that gives me school holidays off. I’ll be learning skills by reading and do you know what – it’s 4 years until I have to worry about the school equation.

Photography – there’s a $500 course I want to do but is 2 full days so practically impossible – I’ll go online and YouTube the ass off photography then practise with my two munchkins at home for our own personal portfolio. Why do I want to do photography? Not to make a living just to take better shots of my life and I’ll be achieving this is a practical way.

What I’m trying to say is don’t regret not having time to do your thing. Change your ways – find a new kind of normal. Involve your kids in your hobbies and you’ll never regret spreading yourself too thin or feel bad that you’re having some you time. Ask yourself why you want to do something and you’ll find another way to get there.

Very, very soon the kids will be at school, and then they’ll have left home and you’ll have all the time in the world to take up pole dancing or to learn Spanish.

Find your reasons, look on the bright side, listen to your excuses and do it anyway!

Good luck!