Amber, have you addressed in detail how you stay on top of things and on schedule even when you have company? I know you are good at this and wanted to hear your advice. I seem to drop everything and then feel behind when company leaves. But I want to spend so much time with my guests. There's a pull--between spending time with people and spending time on my list. I would love to hear your perspective, which seems to help me more than anything, and your strategies.
With summer upon us, there is bound to be more visitors and traveling, comings and goings, and that makes schedules and task lists seem out of control. And often just not possible.
That is okay!
When we have visitors, it really depends on who they are (if they know about my desire for schedules), how long they are staying and if we have plans to do anything with them while they are here.
For instance, when my parents come to visit, they are usually just wanting to visit and happy to do whatever it is we are doing. So, while I ditch deep-cleaning tasks or any errand that is not absolutely necessary, they expect that we will still clean the kitchen, take care of general pick up and run to the grocery store on a Wednesday, if I was not able to fit that in before they came. However, if we had plans to do something on Wednesday, I would try and juggle my schedule to take care of the must-do tasks ahead of time.
Sometimes we have company for just a few hours. When my aunts or a cousin stops by, I know I am generally not going to see them again for a few months, or sometimes years and so I adjust my expectations of my tasks. Unless it is revolving around getting everyone a meal and doing a very mild clean up of that meal, I am basically just relaxing, sitting down talking with them and completely ignoring my task list 100%.
Once my visitors left, in either case, I would take care of the have-tos, skip the rest and try to move on with my week and schedule the next day.
A good way to anticipate visitors and not feeling like throwing in the towel after they leave is to check your tasks and calendar on Sunday. Having a regularly scheduled planning time will help you see (and maybe remember) what appointments you have (if you need to reschedule things), who will be coming into town and when, and the tasks that must be taken care of that week.
If you must get to a certain task, it is much simpler to assign it to a day you do not have as much on the calendar or to know what else to ditch to take care of that task. If guests should happen to come over, you will know the things that must be done either that day or know better which day to move it to.
I, personally, believe it is okay to still do simple tasks and things around your house with overnight guests. We are ALL mortals who need down time or recharging time in one form or another. Chances are your guests have some phone calls or computer work they need to take care of while you run to the store or sweep your floors. Perhaps you feel that every moment must be spent for their pleasure, but then you might only resent them visiting. Let it be okay to take your normal amount of time for self renewal in the morning and close the door to your room if you need a few moments alone later. Being kind to yourself to recharge, if needed, is essential, especially for guests who are staying more than just a few hours. I actually feel like my time with family is richer in quality when I feel put together and rested.
Which leads me to....
How do you travel and not feel out of sorts?
For me, it is essential to continually check off my list and make sure I have attended to all the "necessary" tasks. Those are prayers, meditation and scriptures, family prayers and scriptures, vitamins and anything I needed to take care of on the trip. It is pretty nice to have the reminder for these small and simple tasks because everything is crazy on a trip.
Everything else - chores, weeding, errands - just get checked off to deal with another day. Since most of my tasks are reoccurring, I just check them off and know they will come back another day. (On the last day of school, when I have been checking off things like "sign homework packets" and "turn in reading logs", I move these tasks to the next starting school day so I don't even have to deal with them again until it's time. You can use this same principle for chores and things if you will be out of town for a long period of time.)
I know many would just throw out the schedule and list on vacation, and I totally feel like I do. But I know that saying prayers and reading scriptures helps me and my family to feel comfortable and whole. It is a simple thing that takes only a few minutes and yet it gives all of us, even my youngest ones, a sense of routine and calm. And if you have ever traveled without that calm, it is kinda a big deal.
Try doing those things on your list that bring you and your family calm and see what a difference it makes in your next vacation.
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