No matter how fast you work, the clock still ticks out 1,440 minutes each day. Deduct the essentials of eating, sleeping, working, etc., and the rest of those minutes are yours. It's surprising how many things that must get done will - even if you move gardening up in priority. Here's how:
- Leave work at work. Don't make work-related calls after you get home. Break the hectic pace by changing your clothes, then sit in your favorite chair and practice deep breathing, meditate for a few minutes, or have a cup of tea.
- Get an answering machine; the same technology that speeds up our lives can also slow it down. Let the machine field calls while you garden; then return calls after dark.
- Put yourself on your calendar to physically schedule time for your garden. But don't tackle the big jobs in the late evening.
- Do less. Don't attempt to get everything done in one weekend. Mentally separate projects into sections and then carry one section at a time through to completion.
- Organize! Don't waste one minute of your "found time" searching for your tools. A place for everything and everything in its place!
The rewards you will receive from your garden when you make it a priority will make your "found time" an extra blessing.
Linda Dyer, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
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