Last Saturday night/Sunday morning we switched to daylight savings time here in the U.S. We “lost an hour” of sleep Sunday morning as we set the clocks ahead 1 hour. The payoff is we gain more daylight at the end of the day. In other words, I have to drag my tired butt out of bed an hour earlier so that it will stay light until 7:00pm (not that one is dependent on the other, lol).
And what that means around here? Six half asleep, cranky people have to deal which each other for about a week or so until we’ve all adjusted. That and now I have an excuse to drink more coffee.
Even though technically we don’t lose an actual hour – I mean, one hour doesn’t magically disappear so that there are only 23 hours in the day – it got me thinking. What would I cut out my day if I actually had to lose an hour?
Sleep – can’t cut an hour there. I don’t get enough as it is. 5:20am already feels like 4:20am!
Laundry – Washing, folding, and ironing easily add up to 2 hours a day. Don’t think the school principals or my boss would appreciate our nakedness.
Cooking – Oh would I love to, but my family refuses give up eating so that one’s out.
Work – Whenever I feel the urge to whine about work these 3 thoughts spring to mind: tuition payments, college looming in the not too distant future, summers off. I quickly snap out of my daydream of returning to SAHM status. Hey, I know a good gig when I have it.
Writing – Even though I should be writing an hour a day, the fact is most days I don’t. And ironically, since writing is the insanity that keeps me sane, I’d never cut that.
Driving – no getting around this one either. kids = lots of taxi time
Hmm. Since these things pretty much sum up my life, looks like there’s only one thing left to cut. Guess my daily me time at the day spa where I indulge myself with massages, saunas, facials, and tanning followed by margaritas with friends will have to go. Le sigh.
If you had to give up an hour of your day, what would you give up?
Who knew daylight savings time would spur such a thought provoking post? Give up an hour? Oh my. That's like asking me to cut off an arm - the only difference is that I own my arm. My time seems to belong to everyone else. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Samantha...there is not an hour to spare. In fact, I would like about 5 more a day. Like you I'm a mom and wife, I work, and I'm trying hard to get published and make a go of this writing thing.
ReplyDeleteToo bad we can't utilize others unused minutes...like a family share, roll over program.
I could easily give up an hour of work or more, except I can't afford to lose the pay. So no, there's really nothing. I need every hour in the day.
ReplyDeleteThis daylight savings time thing hit us harder this time than ever before. My kids do not want to wake up in the morning!! I'm kind of angry about it at the moment (isn't that ridiculous?). My son asked me, "Why do we have to have daylight savings?" and I replied with a grumpy, "I have no idea. It's just stupid." Great example to my children, aren't I? Lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat would I give up? It would probably be sleep, which I can't really afford to give up, but that's the way I'm sure it would work. :)
Amy
I give up sleep. Simple as that. I get up at 5am, and if I didn't use that time to write, I would have NO time to do it.
ReplyDeleteI'll sleep when I'm dead. That is going on my tombstone!
I about died! My stupid phone, which I've been using for my alarm clock, woke me at 4:30 a.m. instead of 5:30 a.m. -- and of course I couldn't get back to sleep.
ReplyDelete