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Savannah Scott Romcom Author

Slow Down, Mama: Budgeting Your Time

May 23, 2021 By Patty Leave a Comment

23 May

I’m doing a series here to dovetail with my book, Slow Down, Mama: Intentional Living in a Hurried World, to help you slow down and savor your life.

Our goal isn’t “slowing” as in, doing nothing. The purpose is to live a life where you curate your choices so that what you add into your days, and how you spend your time makes the greatest impact and adds the deepest meaning. 

BUDGETING BASICS

If you think about budgeting money, often the first thing you need to do is look at where your money is going. The same goes with our time and energy. In order to budget well, spend well, and invest well, we need to assess what we are already doing with our time. 

 

A LITTLE PRACTICE

Today I want to encourage you to take a really short bit of time, like five to ten minutes and do this simple exercise: 
  1. Fold a piece of paper in half.
  2. On one side write out all your responsibilities, obligations, and activities that make demands on your time and energy.
  3. On the other side write a list of your goals, dreams, or longings.
  4. Then ask yourself what could be released on the side of your paper that is filled with your current “to-dos” to make room for something on the side with your “wish list.”
It’s sometimes this simple. We just need to step back and look at our lives and recalibrate.
We can go mindlessly through life allowing demands and commitments to pile up and pull at us, or we can stop, assess where our time is going and make a choice to change something.
♥

 

Buckets of Grace

And I know sometimes we’re so overwhelmed that even evaluating the way we use time feels like a project … just one more chore on the to-do list. If that’s you, don’t do this. But do something else. Give yourself buckets and buckets of grace until you feel ready. I know what it’s like to be weary and lose motivation. You won’t stay there, I promise. Bookmark this exercise and come back to it later. 
♥

 

One Woman’s Story

A great example of this comes from my friend in Indiana. She is the mom of six children. After reading through my book, Slow Down, Mama: Intentional Living in a Hurried World, and going through the devotional Slow Down, Mama: Thirty-One Days to Help You Slow and Savor with a group of friends, she decided to make a change.

 

She had been highly focused on keeping her home perfectly clean. While a clean house is a wonderful thing, and cleaning is part of life, sometimes we end up putting cleaning at the heart of our to-do list and we lose sight of the things that matter most. 

 

My friend decided to start taking walks with her six children and spending time outdoors instead of trying to keep her home perfectly clean. We’ve talked about this and delighted in the awareness that years from now she won’t look back remembering clean counters and dusted surfaces as the most valued contributions she made in the world. Instead, she’s pouring into relationships and lives. She’s chosen being present with her kids over keeping a perfect home. She still cleans. She just doesn’t idolize cleaning and let it take over her life or her time. 
Want to hear my story of a small change and sacrifice we made to gain more family time that paid off in BIG ways? Check out my post on Family Dinners. 
♥

 

Finding Community

If you want to share what you came up with as you folded your paper and made a choice to build in something life-giving, the women in my Sweet Reader group on Facebook would love to encourage you as you live a more intentional life (and girlfriend, intentional can be “getting more rest” or “spending less time running errands.” It doesn’t have to be solving a problem or achieving a goal. It needs to be what fits you.)
We are a group of women who gather to share life and books.

 

Regular Encouragement and Books

If you want to read the book that started this movement, you can find Slow Down, Mama: Intentional Living in a Hurried World and the devotional that can go with the book or be used separately both on Amazon. 
If you would like to receive my monthly email to help you slow and savor you can sign up here. When you do you will receive a link to my free book, Ten Keys to Avoiding Power Struggles.

If you want to receive my weekly email about my fiction writing (clean romance) where I share a sneak peek at my life as a writer and some book recommendations, you can sign up here. You will receive a link to the free prequel novella, The Matchmaker’s Accidental Arrangement. 

 

A Weekly Invitation

Every week I post another tip for you to … Slow Down, Mama! Join me here for more encouragement and practical wisdom to help you live for what matters most. 
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Filed Under: Parenting, Time Management Tagged With: Cultivating Habits, Healthy Boundaries, Overcoming Overwhelm, Rest for Moms, Slow Down Mama

About Patty

I write to encourage your heart, feed your soul, and give you wisdom for your life. Motherhood is my passion. I've been married to my surfer/skater husband for over 20 years.  We have two boys and a home full of neighbor kids most days.

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Hi, I’m Savannah …

I’m a Zumba dancing, coffee sipping, road tripping girl and I love writing closed-door romcom!

My stories make you laugh, smile, and sometimes keep you up past your bedtime chanting the famous reader mantra, “just one more chapter.”

I hope you find your next sweet escape in one of my books.

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Yep. You heard that right. I have a reader group Yep. You heard that right. 

I have a reader group on FB. And I pop in there a few times a week. And the readers love one another and even pop in there when I’m not there. ❤️

We share books, humor, and encouragement. ❤️

And, today I read for six minutes on a “come as I am” LIVE VIDEO (in my ball cap and flannel shirt with no makeup … because that’s what I’m looking like today). 🤪❤️

I read a section from Brooks’ prologue which is from when he and Gabriela first met (three years ago) at the engagement of Aiden & Em (from Townshipped). ❤️

It’s a scene that sets the tone for the insane chemistry between Brooks and Gabriela in Cruiseshipped. There’s banter and humor. And it’s me, reading. ❤️

Wanna hear it? 

Hop over to Savannah (Patty) Scott’s Sweet Reader Group on Facebook. Ask to join. I’ll let you in. You’ll love this sweet group of readers. ❤️ 

And then find a cozy spot and curl up for a little story time. With heart. And heat. 😉😂❤️ But clean. Always closed door. Always. 

All my links, including the link to my FB group, are in my bio! ❤️

#savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #readaloud #authorreading #bookexcerpt #romcomreadersofinstagram #bookstagram #sweetromance #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #authorlive #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #cruiseshipromance #shipboardromance #smalltownromancebooks
Welllll …. Here it is!! One month. The shortes Welllll …. Here it is!! 

One month. The shortest month of the year (you’re welcome), until this sweet baby is in Amazon and KU. 

I’m smitten with the cover, and I hope you are too!

We’ve got … 
🐄 the small town of Bordeaux Ohio
💍 Memaw and Bill’s wedding 👵🏼 👴🏻 
🛳️ a cruise
🌴 the Caribbean
🎉 shenanigans
💃🏻a sassy, bold, Puerto Rican MFC 
🔥 a hot fireman
💋 hotter kisses

Mark your calendars … or go preorder. 
March 1st — CruiseShipped. 
Put the Bon in your Voyage! 

And, meanwhile feel feee to catch up on the series with any of the other books. All stand-alone reads. All on KU … and the first three are out in audio. 🌊❤️🛳️🥰

#coverreveal #bookcoverreveal #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #closeddoorromance #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram #romcomreaders #bookstagram #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #forcedproximityromance #cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #newrelease #authorreel #amwritingromcom #firemanromance #firemanromancereads #vacationromancebooks
#wipwednesday Can I tell you how excited I am to #wipwednesday

Can I tell you how excited I am to show you the rest of this cover? 

My sister outdid herself on this couple. And between @gigiblume and my sister and me, we got the background and fonts just the way I wanted them. 

Trust me. This cover is EXACTLY how I pictured Brooks and Gabriela. It has the vibes of their relationship, and the characters look exactly like I imagined them. 

So many hours go into designing a cover. My sister and I spend hours “fishing together,” as we call it. That’s the time we hunt the internet for a couple in a pose we want to use as a template for the couple’s stance. 

Then she or I (or both of us) will look for images of models online who look like I imagine the characters looking. 
This part is harder than it sounds. I have a very specific idea of each character.

In the meantime, I figure out what element of the story should be the background. Gigi and I hunt for line-drawing images that seem like what we’re looking for. Then we draw out our concept from there. Sometimes I do a rough draft. Sometimes Gigi does. Then we build on that initial concept. 

When my sister finishes her illustration of the couple (after hours of work on her part, and multiple passes by me for input), she sends me the illustration of the couple. 

Gigi places the couple over the background, adds the title and my author name, and then we tweak placement until we’re all happy. 

And, today, we’re all happy with this cover for CruiseShipped! 

I’ll be doing a full reveal tomorrow or Friday!!! 

#coverreveal #romcombooks #sweetromance #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #amwritingromance #amwritingromcom #savannahscott #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #bookcoverdesign #newrelease #ilovemyreaders #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries
Ahhhh! These two!! The chemistry between Brooks + Ahhhh! These two!! 
The chemistry between Brooks + Gabriela made it hard for me to keep them apart at all. Whew! ❤️🔥

And even though this is #WIPWednesday , this is not actually still a WIP … sort of. 

The last words were written on Jan 23. CruiseShipped is with my story editor … soon to come back to me. 

And … this week … you’ll get: 

✅ a cover reveal! 
✅ ARC Team Sign-Ups
✅ Bookstagrammer Sign-Ups

I always love the current WIP most. It’s just a thing with me. But, honestly, this book has heart, chemistry, banter, deep friendships, culture, travel, and forced proximity, all with a happily ever after that will leave you smiling. 

#cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #gettingshipped #hettingshippedseries #newrelease #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #romcombooks #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #romcomauthor #amwritingromance #amwritingromcom #bordeauxohio #smalltownromance #beachromancebooks #travelromance #forcedproximityromance #puertoricanstories
This is a meet not-so-cute. Of course, Grumpy Gr This is a meet not-so-cute. 

Of course, Grumpy Grant couldn’t have a meet-cute. If there’s such a thing as a meet-crabby, this is it. 

I never knew I liked writing grumps. Grant was so much fun to write. The contrast between him and Jayme—with her optimism and spunk was delightful. 

And Grant’s daughter Fiona added so much to the story. Jayme takes Fiona on as a tutor. Of course, this means she has to see Grant many times each week. 

And it means she gets to know the man behind the broody exterior. 

Do you love grumpy/sunshine trope? 

#teasertuesday #tuesdayteaser  #doctorshipped #doctorshippedbook #gettingshipped #gettingahippedseries #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio #smalltownromance #ohiolove #singledadromance #grumpysunshine #grumpysunshineromance #romcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #sweetromcom #bookstagram #bookishcommunity #newrelease #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram #ilovemyreaders #singledadromance
#romcomauthor #amwritingromance
#amwritingromcom
This is not how it’s done. You don’t share a This is not how it’s done. 

You don’t share a book that won’t be out til summer in late January. 

But… I finished writing CruiseShipped on the 23rd. And I’ve had a week to recuperate from that massive project. I’ve plotted (loosely) the next series that will come after Getting Shipped. 

And I’m ready to step forward. This book was NOT in my plans. But, enough of you asked for Chris’ story that I gave it some thought. 

And Chris, in his chill, reserved, alpha way, asked for his story to be told. And the gal who falls for him (reluctantly) asked for her story to be told. 

So … here we go. I’m starting work on this book—the last book in the series that literally changed the trajectory of my career as an author, built a town so many of us wish were real, and brought us laughs and tears and HEAs. 

Ripped & Shipped … the story of an ex-military man and the woman who helps him move forward … hopefully coming in June. 

But, yessssss! CruiseShipped comes first. March first. And if my story editor is right, you are going to LOVE Brooks & Gabriela’s story. 

ARC signups open this week. Squuueeeeee! ❤️

#rippedandshipped #workinprogress #amwriting #authorlife #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #mysterymfc #militaryromancebooks #smalltownromancebooks #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #closeddoorromance #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #romanceloversofinstagram #romcomloversofinstagram
80s night 💜💕 80s night 💜💕
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