Scrapbooking is a Balancing Act

How much time are you able to spend scrapping? How do you find balance in your life between the kids, work, errands, cleaning and other chores, computer time (and sometimes a husband/significant other)? I find I waste too much time trying to figure this one out.

This is something that I struggle with as well. It is a constant balancing act. I find that if I am soaring creatively -- meaning that I have completed layouts, have left comments for all the layouts I love, have a current blog entry, joined in on a few challenges -- that my house needs cleaning, the laundry is as high as a mountain, my kids are irritable... so I limit myself. I make a to-do list every single morning... after those things are completed I get on the computer and do what I would like to do. I look at my computer time as a "treat". Sometimes I will get on when I get up in the mornings when the house is very quiet and no one is up yet. I just don't want to be that mom that is always on the computer. I never want my children to wonder what my priorities are.

The scrapbooking is something that I work on when I can... I'll start a page and have it laying on my scrap table and when I get a few minutes here and there (the kids are playing, doing homework,) I will add or take away from it until I think its complete.

One thing that works for me and helps me have "quality" computer time is a little notepad that I keep by my keyboard. When my computer is turned off and I think of something that I want to look up or look at when I do get on, I simply write it on the notepad. No more mindless surfing. I feel like I'm getting the most out of my time.

Just always remember what comes first... if you make sure that those people and those things are your priorities, all the other stuff will fit in naturally. Remember you are not alone and its a balancing act and a common struggle for all of us.