On losing track of time ⏰
+ My tips for travelling with kids 🙌
“It’s Friday, right?” I asked Paul, sometime last week.
“No, it’s Tuesday,” Paul responded.
What!?
Somewhere along the line, I lost track of four or five days. And it’s not the first time on this trip. Perhaps it’s this escape from my regular calendar, from the daily “knowing” of what’s happening and when, of coordinating schedules, meeting times, and appointments, of this thing called time dominating my life.
I’ve got to say, I really like it.
But daily life doesn’t look like this: a road trip through the Western Balkans (namely Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Croatia) with my husband, two kids, and father-in-law. Every few days we jump into our Koleos to hit up our next stop or visit a landmark we can’t get to on foot. Each day is roughly planned and excitedly lived, a hodgepodge of exploration, restaurant hunting, photography, playground stops, and beach-combing, plus time squeaked in for that thing called work which sits on our left shoulder like a little devil.
I love that I can work from anywhere. But it becomes a bit problematic when I think it’s Friday and it’s actually Tuesday. 😂 Our work allows us to be away, yet my brain is always a few steps behind. I eventually catch up, but not without first picking up the pieces and sorting them. Who needs to hear from me and when? What’s the most pressing task?
Days fly by like the clouds that swirl around the lakeside cliffs here in Kotor, Montenegro. We follow our noses and try to sniff out the best experiences.
I check my watch far less often than I ever do at home.
I’ve said many times in my life: I wish I could be more present at home, the way I am when I’m travelling or on an outdoor adventure. I wish I could savour the moments more and avoid the feeling that I’m stuck in a daily grind. Fortunately, my work keeps me on my toes, as no two days are the same. But, it’s tough, right? To translate that experience out there to at home?
And it begs the question: Once I’ve returned home, how do I let myself lose track of time, the way I do when I’m exploring ancient seaside towns or playing in the sand with my kids?
Is it even possible? 🤷🏻
I think a big piece of it is giving up the “hustle” lifestyle, which I wrote about on Instagram last week, and learning to slow down and be still. To let go of productivity as my gauge for success or fulfillment. And while as parents we’ve worked hard not to overcommit our kids to activities that eat up all of our time, I could do with greater discernment about how I fill my days when they are off at school and daycare.
Having a strong sense of my priorities will help me attend to the important things and perhaps sink into a space where I blissfully lose track of time. ✨
Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I’d like to give it a shot.
Tips for Travelling with Kids
While we’ve been travelling here in the Western Balkans I’ve received several messages asking me for some tips for travelling with kids. I’ve never had an easy time collecting tips as I always have so much I want to say. But here’s my best stab at it!
→ Tips for Travelling Abroad with Children
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What’s caught my attention lately… ✨
I’ve been travelling the past few weeks, so podcasts and articles haven’t been part of my everyday life! I’m currently reading The Huntress by Kate Quinn (I love anything by this author), and have The Racketeer by John Grisham in my bag, as well. I tend towards fiction while I’m travelling unless I’m reading local history books.
Check these out too… 🙌
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Wow, I feel this so deeply. I hate getting to the end of a weekend and feeling like I somehow failed because I didn't get everything checked off of my to-do list. I know that I need to take more time living in the moment, which I worked hard to do while my husband and I were in Hawaii and I'm hoping to be better at while we're on vacation this summer.