Tiny increments of time: an often overlooked but (shockingly) effective way to accomplish big dreams

One of the first lessons I learned as a mother is to do everything in tiny increments of time. I’m eternally grateful for a woman (I don’t even know who she is) who told my husband after our first child was born that after she became a mother she learned to do all of her home projects in 20 minute intervals. She was talking about home renovations or such—the thing my husband (and she apparently) does around the house. But I’ve applied that understanding to EVERYTHING else I do: from knitting projects to major movement forward in my business.

The thing I’ve been grateful for lately is that epiphanies  re coming to me that same way too. I’ve been doing a lot of shifting in my work lately—both in terms of my writing (You should know that I’m in the process of moving my blog to www.blog.aimeecartier.com.) and psychic readings (or at least my online presence with what I do). All of this involves a huge amount of tiny details (You can just imagine the number of links I am having to reset with a blog transfer!) and sometimes things that involve bigger picture visioning.

As a mother of two young children my time is very allocated. When I’m a mom that’s what I’m doing.

When I’m doing readings, same thing. Even when I’m in my studio devoting time to write, same. I keep it all compartmentalized so that I can actually get things done, and not, let’s say, be thinking about the grocery list when I actually have time to write. With such, that means I don’t have long blocks of time right now where I can sit down and just focus on all of the next steps and how to accomplish them all while simultaneously merging this with my bigger picture vision of where I’m heading. I do this incrementally too.

I make lists and jot down thoughts whenever they arise. And as I move forward in my tiny steps (resetting link after link) I also realize what the next questions are in my work or project– like the one I’m currently wrestling with – “What is the best way to set up a ‘Subscribe’ situation on my new blog address? And how do I make sure not to lose all of you lovelies who already follow me in the transfer?” And what I’ve been realizing and so grateful for is that my answers have been coming in those tiny increments too. Thank god.

I still need some help on the transferring subscribers and setting that up so if you have anything to offer there, please do. But what I’ve discovered, thankfully, is that I will realize what the next unknown of the puzzle is, jot it down, and then by a day or two later, when I actually have time to devote to the process, I will know what the next tiny step is. The answer to my riddle arrives in my mind just in time.

Boy am I grateful for that!

Because the other thing that I’ve noticed 3 ½ years into my “everything in tiny increments” way of being is that THINGS DO GET ACCOMPLISHED! It’s so fantastic. And truly it’s hard to believe that things actually do move forward, especially when you’re starting out your parenting journey and don’t even know how you’re going to fit in a shower—forget about painting your toe nails. But big things do move too! (Not just the showers and toe nails.) In fact GREAT things can be accomplished in tiny increments.

I’ve completely redesigned a website. Including more than one photo shoot. (If you’re not a mom you

might not understand how something as “simple” as a getting photos up on your website could be a HUGE accomplishment. (Hello, you’ve got to schedule a time where you can actually get ready.  AND have outfit changes, and babysitters, and lipstick, and locations. And a photographer! And. And. And.) Managed to update my blog regularly (until this transferring business was taking up time—but don’t worry I’ll be back in full force soon at www.blog.aimeecartier.com)! Managed to continue to do readings weekly– and increase my number of clients. And knit and made countless crafty projects. All in the last 3 + years.

Sometimes thinking on it even astonishes me: just how much CAN be accomplished in tiny bits of time? A lot it turns out.

So if you’re in the mom boat (or some other) that only provides you the smallest smidgens of time to work on things that are outside of Momville, or Whateverville, take heart. Even 20 minutes (or less) at a time can get a job done!

Love,

Aimée

Aimée is a psychic, author, mom, wife, and artist.You can find out more about her psychic work at www.spreadingblessings.com You can make the leap to her next writing/blog adventure with her by bookmarking www.blog.aimeecartier.com now.