The 168 hour week

Sometimes we feel so busy that we just can't seem to get things done. There is hardly time to cook dinner, let alone planning a meal and cooking it from scratch. There is barely enough time to take the trash out... and now you want me to separate it and run the recyclables to the recycling center?

I had a long drawn out post in mind about how there are 168 hours in a week, blah, blah, blah. It was good, I can assure you. The problem is, I wrote it in my head last night and can barely remember any of it.

Alison at Diamond-Cut Life has a great post saying pretty much what mine did... but without the long drawn out blah, blah, blah. While her post focuses on finding time to help the environment, the same ideas can apply to anything.
Lately I am guilty of not taking the time to do things that are important to me. I have been so hyper focused on the house - getting it unpacked, getting it decluttered, getting it clean, that I haven't returned phone calls, mailed cards to my grandma (something I do regularly), sat and just chatted with my children as much as I should, etc.

So while I am not going to stop trying to get this house in order (will it ever be done??) and decluttering truly makes me happy (it is an illness, I know. lol) I am going to be sure to take the time for other things in my life that are just as important, and sometimes more so.

What are some things you do to ensure that you have time for the important things?

Picture from Leo Reynolds via flickr