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Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

You are here: Home / lifestyle / seasons / {on stepping away from the busyness to get back on track.}

{on stepping away from the busyness to get back on track.}

November 9, 2011 · 29 Comments
Filed Under: seasons, the pup


Walking Bauer is something I love to do, but lately it’s something that’s so easy to forget to do {so sad!}. Since half of our home is dedicated Gussy Sews space it’s too easy for me to get up in the morning, hop in the shower once Zack leaves for work and then get right to work myself. My team comes over at 9am or 10am daily, and often I start chatting with them ~ discussing new projects or ideas, and suddenly it’s after Noon. No walk for Bauer yet, no lunch — often no breakfast yet, either.

{Remember over the summer I decided to challenge myself to eat better? I need to get back on that wagon.}

And so this totally messes with the flow of things, especially the relationship Bauer and I have. We spend so much time together, he’s my favorite pal. And when he doesn’t go on a walk it’s nearly impossible for me to get any work done ;] Plus, I’ve heard that walking your dog is the one task you can do to meet all of their needs: exercise, discipline, bonding time, socializing, exploring instincts — which totally makes sense!

Now through the end of the year is pretty much the busiest time of my life. Even in the craze of life it’s important we go on our daily walk. Stepping away from the busyness of work, changing things up and walking Bauer, eating breakfast & lunch {ahem!} is soooo important! These things help me keep my focus so I can output my best. Really I’m just looking for an excuse to not have to admit I’ve been lazy…

Because let’s be honest, it won’t be long before it’s -10* outside and Bauer needs to wear his boots and winter vest to go outside, hehe! Getting out for walks then will be hard enough.

PS. do you L O V E this cowl I’m wearing??? My friend Saira made it for me, see her shop here!

What kind of “busy” do you have in your life, and how do you get back on track?

xoxo

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29 Comments
Filed Under: seasons, the pup

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Comments

  1. Brittany says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:14 pm

    Good for you to make that time!! My favorite pal is thirteen this year and walks are a thing of the past these days…

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 12:16 pm

      did you know there are doggy strollers??? oh my gosh. if i didn’t already know zack would roll his eyes at me i MIGHT consider asking for one, haha.

      Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 9, 2011 at 12:20 pm

      We try to get play time in with our pup. He walks when we take him out, but he gets bored so easily!

      Reply
  2. Ashley says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    My boyfriend and I commute together so you’d think we would have quality time in the car…we don’t! Our “busy” time is in the evenings…we continue with work talk in the car and when we get home. To make it better, we make sure to spend time together doing non-stressful things after work like cooking dinner and playing with our dog. Oh yea, and I try (really really) hard not to bring my iPhone to bed at the end of the day. It’s hard, but the little/fun moments make the stressful ones bearable!

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 1:10 pm

      i love these ideas… to cook dinner together, to pay with the dog, to leave the phone in the other room at bedtime. thanks so much for sharing your tips :)

      Reply
  3. April Foss says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    *sigh* I often need to just breath. I struggle with my time as you know. Raising 5 kids and having a husband, along with the biz is HARD!!! I think I have actually made myself not feel well. The last 2 1/2 weeks have been not good. Back and forth to the doctor trying to find out what the heck is wrong with me:/ Sleep deprived is a huge one for me. THat is what I need to work on. Oh, and eating lunch. I rarely do:/

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:40 pm

    Awww – he is just the cutest!! I think being a relatively new mama is making me overlook some of the important things… eating 3 meals a day for one! I am soooo guilty of going without breakfast and even lunch sometimes. :/ Trying to figure out a good schedule that allows me to have my quiet time in the morning [complete with coffee and breakfast] then tackle what the day holds! I’ve been a bit convicted that going to bed earlier and waking up earlier would help tremendously!

    *love the cowl too!

    Reply
  5. Meghan says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:49 pm

    LOVE the cowl! <3

    He is so cute and I love the relationship ya'll have.

    For me, it's all about the schedule. I HAVE to wake up and have my breakfast/quiet time before the rest of the house wakes up. On the mornings I dont do this, my day goes by without a good start, and I feel all out of whack. So, I made myself start waking up earlier (woke up 30 minutes earlier each day until I reached the time I wanted to wake up – 5:30am) and that way you aren't starting out cold turkey with going from waking up at 7am to 5:30am.

    Praying for you! xoxo

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 1:15 pm

      hey meghan! would you want to share in the comments here a little more about your quiet time in the morning — what you do and how it has helped you?

      Reply
  6. katy reitz (lil' alice) says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:54 pm

    i need to step away from the sewing machine and orders and go for a quick brisk walk. i lack exersice because i would rather be sewing. thanks for the push!

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 1:12 pm

      going on a walk is my best idea-making time, hehe. some times it’s in the shower, but most of the time it’s when we’re outside… which is awesome!!!! good for you that you know what you need to do. xo

      Reply
  7. Ashley M says

    November 9, 2011 at 1:02 pm

    Really loved this – I’m opening a pop up handmade boutique in Fargo and the busyness level has hit a peak I didn’t know existed! It’s all things that need to get done…but our poor bulldog, similar to Bauer, is suffering b/c of it in addition to many other things!! Thanks for the post…super timely as usual! I think that regardless of the busyness, we become so much less effective to complete the tasks if we don’t step away for awhile to walk the dog, drink coffee without a computer in front of us, and READ. So I’ll do that tomorrow evening!!! Thanks!!! <3

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 1:13 pm

      i am pretty much over multi-tasking. it’s not appealing to me, i don’t feel satisfied with any of the tasks i try to get done. slowing down, doing things one at a time, stepping away from the computer/work more often — they all help so much! :)

      Reply
  8. Meghan says

    November 9, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    Sure! I wake up around 5:30 or 6am each morning – do the normal brush my teeth wash my face, and head to the kitchen (or front porch if the weather is nice) and read. Sometimes I have a book study that I’m going through that I get from Amazon or Lifeway or sometimes its the ole read through the book of psalms or proverbs {always different each time I read it, get something new}, or sometimes its just the “open up and see what God has me reading today in the bible” sort of thing.

    It makes my day start off well. On the days I don’t have my quiet time or I dont get up as early to get house things accomplished, I can tell I’m more disorganized, grouchy, and wanna stay in bed all day.

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 3:48 pm

      thanks friend! ♥

      Reply
  9. Tara says

    November 9, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    I hear ya on the busyness! ( I just spelt it business, and realized it put a totally different meaning. LOL) I too have learned that I just need to take some time for me. regardless of how much I feel like I need to get done. I tried editing (pictires)for 16 hours 2 days in a row.. and guess what… after 12 hours on the second day. I GOT NOTHING DONE and have found it hard to go back! we all need breaks.

    Reply
  10. Kati @ Around the Plate says

    November 9, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    Its so important to step away from the busyness of life every now and then! I always get super wrapped up in work and end up exhausted. Taking a break keeps me, my husband, and my kids sane!

    Reply
  11. Carrie @ Caroline G says

    November 9, 2011 at 2:44 pm

    I’m right there with you girl! I find it hard to stay on track with all the busyness of life. If I don’t wake up and have a quiet time first thing, my day tends to be off and more chaotic. I can typically gauge I’m “too busy” when I rush through an entire day and never stop to see His love letters. And by love letters, I mean all the little things in life that He created and gives us to enjoy; that we often miss. When I look at your photos, I see His love letters in the bright red leaves, your sweet pup, the old picket fence, the cute pumpkin, and the warmth of your cowl. If the day comes to an end and I missed most of the love letters, then I know its time to slow down.

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 3:49 pm

      yeow ~ i think you hit the nail right on the head!

      Reply
  12. katherine says

    November 9, 2011 at 2:45 pm

    bah hahaha, i love your funny picture at the end! :)

    i so badly want a dog though, i could do with the company of an animal! but i do get the healthy eating wagon bit, i need to sort that out myself!

    Reply
  13. Sunshinemeg says

    November 9, 2011 at 3:12 pm

    Hello there Miss Gussy! I just wanted to drop by and say hello! I was thinking of you today as I carried my Gussy clutch to work. It always makes me happy when I see those pink and white polka dots with a yellow ruffle = ) I hope you, Zack, and Bauer are all doing well and that your ready for another MN winter. Stay warm out there and take care of yourself.

    Reply
  14. Donna says

    November 9, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    Busyness is my life – I have a full time job, run a part time graphic design business and am starting a new handmade business too! But I am just like Meghan – I have to my ‘morning time’ otherwise the rest of the day is out of whack. I get up at 6am and head out on a bushwalk which runs down by the water where I live in Sydney (you probably call it a hike ;-)) I don’t have a dog, but when I get down to the start of the bushwalk there is a family of kookaburras there, when they start laughing (google it if you don’t know what I’m talking about!) it puts a smile on my dial! The sky is blue, the sunshine is on my skin and I breathe in the clean air – my day is right on track :-) I do it almost every day, it’s exercise, a mood setter, and time to think and dream all in one!

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 4:45 pm

      is this what they sound like?

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0ZbykXlg6Q

      if so, that totally has me giggling :)

      Reply
      • Donna says

        November 9, 2011 at 5:52 pm

        Yup, that’s them! hehehe – imagine a family of them scattered about in a tree, and the little kiddie ones so small and cute. How can you not have a super fantastic day after starting it having a giggle with them?? ;-)

        Reply
  15. Jill says

    November 9, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    My (almost) 10-month old son, Caleb, is my busy these days. And although I wouldn’t have it any other way, it does make if hard to get as much does as I used to. Naps help out a lot but I’m still in the figuring-things-out phase in regards to finding balance. Wish me luck as I continue to work on it.

    Reply
  16. Becca @ One Girl says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:40 pm

    Oh Maggie I am still trying to find a balance! Most of the time I look at my week a and see all of this ‘open space’ and then I think oh I haven’t seen this person for a while, ect and then I fill up my week and by the time I get to that week I am busy beyond compare and have no time for me, house chores, errands and sanity. I must learn how to say no sometimes.

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      November 9, 2011 at 9:07 pm

      you know what i hear… saying “no” means you can say “yes” more often ;D

      Reply
  17. Erin says

    November 11, 2011 at 7:25 pm

    I find that intentionally waking up at a good hour in the morning and spending some relaxing time reading my Bible and journaling really helps me to stay focused on what is important. While business-wise, I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, I know that my time with the Lord is one of the stable things I can rely on to keep me in focus. ;) xo

    Reply
  18. Sarah Von says

    November 12, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    I have the ‘responding to one million client emails’ kind of busy. I’ve been trying to do this thing where I respond to their five emails in one email, but I haven’t been able to stick to it very well!

    Reply

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ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
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We came home and I made “the best dinner ever”. Max specifically announced, “it’s so great you’re launching new meals to the world”. LOL— kids! 🤣👏🏻💓
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So, hello! As you can gather, my name is Maggie ;) 

I started writing online (almost 13 years ago) to share the handmade products I was sewing. My shop was called Gussy Sews. ✂️👛I love the community that has grown from sewing & sharing online.

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What are you reading this year? Currently?

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