Oh, wait a second! It’s almost time for that dreaded spring forward, which means I’m about to lose an hour of my life. Seriously, whoever’s in charge of time, why must you take that hour from me? As a single working mom, I’m already drowning in chores and responsibilities. If I lose that hour, the pile of unopened mail by my front door is guaranteed to sit there for another month—maybe more.
So, in the spirit of self-pity (and maybe a tiny bit of humor), here’s a list of 23 things I could be doing instead of losing that precious hour (and no, sleep doesn’t make the cut):
- Clean the house: Let’s be real—this isn’t just a tidy-up job. I’m talking about dust bunnies that have evolved into a full-blown colony at this point.
- Take a bath: I can’t even recall the last time I soaked in a tub. Was it when I was pregnant with my firstborn? That was ages ago!
- Read a book: I’ve been trying to get through a chapter of Kim Gordon’s Girl in a Band on my iPhone during my commute. That book absolutely deserves more than a few stolen moments in between subway stops!
- Do my taxes: Actually, no thanks! I’d rather use that hour on something enjoyable. Taxes can wait…probably.
- Wield a magic wand: If only I had one to make the tax nightmare disappear!
- Have a date: Or at least go out somewhere that could lead to a date.
- Take my kid on a nature walk: I live right across from Manhattan’s only natural forest! You’d think we’d be out there every day, but nope!
- Grocery shopping: Before that, I should probably…
- Clean out the fridge: Seriously, what is that moldy object in the back? It looks like a cross between a dinosaur and a fruit!
- Write something for fun: Like the good ol’ days when I churned out books. Those long reads take ages to finish anyway, right?
- Attend a real yoga class: Not just the online version I’ve been faking my way through.
- Smell the flowers: The daffodils are blooming outside the deli—such a sign of spring in the city!
- Create some art: And no, doodling on my kids’ homework while on the phone doesn’t count.
- Go for a bike ride: But only if the snow decides to be nice and melt away.
- Organize my digital photos: So I can find that embarrassing shot of my son in a tutu. At this rate, I might need years, not minutes!
- Enjoy a cup of coffee: You know, the way they do in commercials—sitting down and sipping it slowly instead of gulping it down while multitasking.
- Do laundry: Or maybe just order a bunch of new socks online. Who needs to fold?
- Meditate: In peace, with the dog locked away, so he doesn’t lick my face while I’m trying to focus.
- Binge-watch a TV show: There are so many good ones out there, and I’m still catching up on The Sopranos. What did I miss?
- Stare out the window: Seriously, we all need to do more of this. It’s relaxing!
- Pick up the dry cleaning: I’m pretty sure there’s stuff there from the Stone Age.
- Practice guitar: I started lessons with my daughter, but she’s already way better than me! I’m basically a guitar school dropout now.
- Have lunch with a friend: If I still have any friends left after neglecting them for so long.
Dear friends, if you made it this far, kudos! How did you manage to find the time? I could really use some tips. Also, I love you! Let’s plan a lunch soon—just not this weekend since I’m losing an hour. But soon!
In conclusion, while I may be missing out on that hour, the possibilities are endless. I’ll just have to find a way to squeeze in some of these activities during the week. Who knows? Maybe I can even catch up on some insights from this article about home insemination or check out this one for more tips.