Where’s the Savings in Daylight Savings Time?

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Am I the only one who has missed the savings in Daylight Savings Time?

 How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?

~ Dr. Seuss

I always include a relevant quote in each of my newsletters. The quote above is this week’s quote, chosen because I seem to have lost more than a few hours since Daylight Savings Time took effect.

Don’t forget, my husband works midnights, so our family functions on a different time schedule than most, which is just fine with me since I tend to be a night owl anyway and love to sleep.

But seriously, where has the time gone? I used to have more hours in my day than I do now. Didn’t you?

Maybe it’s cause it gets dark earlier so we feel like the day is over. I mean, sometimes my husband gets up at 3:00 p.m. and the sun sets an hour and a half later.

So in reality, we really have the same number of hours in the day that we’ve always had; it just seems like we’ve lost some.

Usually I try and lay things out for you as logically as I can, but this time, I’m just going to do some thinking, writing, and observing. Here goes:

  • Our days are getting shorter in terms of daylight. That’s for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. Those of you in the Southern hemisphere – well, I’m still trying to understand your seasons. So anyway, less daylight is perceived as shorter days, less time to get things done. Not true, of course, but that’s the way it is. So, understand that it’s OK to turn on a light and keep working.
  • Bears hibernate in the winter for a reason. While humans do not hibernate, there is a natural tendency to want to cozy in at home, which often means less productivity and more well, cozying in. Cause that’s a word. Cause I just made it up. Anyway, recognizing that you have a tendency to want to cozy in can help towards realizing that you really need to get some stuff done too. Cozy in time later.
  • Time is a weird concept for those of us with ADHD. It’s never the same. Sometimes it flies by and other times it’s glacial in it’s progress. Not everybody experiences time that way. Recognize that you have a different view of time and adjust as you can. For instance, figure out how long things really take. It can be an eye opener and go a long way towards increasing your productivity. For instance, I hate, hate, hate mopping the kitchen floor. When I finally decided to do it, do it right, and time it – guess what? It took about 15 minutes! And I have a big kitchen! Now I have no argument for not mopping the kitchen.
  • Learn to schedule your time and your days, especially the busy ones. This weekend my daughter and her family are coming for an early Thanksgiving. This Thursday is the day I have open to get things done like shopping, cooking ahead of time, cleaning the house, and getting the bedroom ready. In order to get everything done, I need to schedule all of my tasks for that day by time. So, I get up at 9:00 a.m., do my morning routine and then get started on cooking ahead of time. Putting your tasks into a time slot and estimating how long they will take lets you take control of your day and make sure that you are not over scheduling yourself. Seriously, it’s important. Learn to do it as much as possible.
  • The holiday season is a super busy time for all of us. Don’t try to do it all and don’t try to be Martha. Concentrate on what’s important to you, what your values are, and then choose your activities from that. Your family will appreciate time spent with you more than they will a 12 course gourmet dinner. And believe me, I know from experience, trying to do so much that you end up angry and short tempered is no fun for anyone.

That’s what I’ve got for now.

Breathe. A lot. Deep breaths. Learn to do it the right way.

Get an essential oil to help you relax. Really. You just swipe some on and wait. A few minutes later all is well and you didn’t even notice it happening. I can’t explain it. It’s magic.

Herbal teas to relax. Relaxing isn’t so much about finding time, but savoring and appreciating what time you have.

We all have the same amount of time each day. Let’s use it wisely.

 

Picture of Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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