Time (and Stress) Management

I'm actually fairly good at this, although I did take a workshop a couple years ago on the topic. But I can be overwhelmed by circumstance.

So... I'm in the last week of a five week class, as all the classes in the Bachelor's programs are. This is because the University of Phoenix manages its accelerated classes by incorporating learning teams. Many people despise these learning teams, but I appear to have been lucky in my teammates. Normally, this time of year, I could cope with everything going on - kids, spouse, work, school - without too much trouble.

But in the last five weeks we've had... a trip across the mountains for a family reunion, all sorts of end-of-school-year activities for school (pre-K graduation, concerts, programs) and Scouts, a new job for me (which I love), a tooth crown for Lizzy (and the attendant re-visits to get the darn thing fitted right), an eye infection for +Laston Kirkland, a screamingly bad ear infection for Leanna (and the attendant guilt for sending her to school thinking it was molars, and yes, I do know that it wasn't entirely my fault, doesn't matter), an injured hand for Abby (and the guilt for that as well; it hurts me to hurt her), an offer for when our lease is up in August (and trust me, $156 added to our already high rent? No.), seasonal allergies for everyone, and now Lizzy with a high fever (yes, 102F isn't all that high for a child her age, but it got to 103.5 yesterday evening at the doctor, and the usual  remedies bring it down, but not to normal).

So, priorities are thusly:

1. Ill or injured children (and the occasional long lunch break for graduation)
2. Work (who thankfully are very understanding about ill or injured children)
3. Family not including the ill and injured kids issue (things like making sure lunches are packed and they're not going naked to school, basic everyday parenting tasks, getting myself back on the SparkPeople wagon, and getting the doc's phone number for the Hubs so he can go take care of his eye).
4. School (this is broken into two bits; I take care of the team assignments before the individual ones, because if the individual ones are late or incomplete, I don't hurt anyone but myself).
5. Sleeping, cleaning, laundry, etc. (the latter two of which the Hubs is pretty good about, especially in the last few days).

Last night those last two were broken; feverish Lizzy needs cuddling. By Mommy if available. She also requires midnight reassurance and cleanup and a fresh pair of pajamas and a new dose of Tylenol. And sleeping snuggled up with Mommy in the recliner.

So why am I posting a blog entry rather than doing my homework now? Simple. Blogging can be completed in fits and starts during breaks at work. PowerPoint Presentations for which the research is on my hard drive at home notsomuch.

Tonight I take Abby to her dad's. Then I go home for a weekend of Priorities 1, 4, and 5 (mostly. Sunday evening is reserved for Priority 3 for Fathers' Day).

<takes deep breath>

Onward!