quilting-#1 How can I make time?

With our busy lives it is becoming harder and harder to find time to quilt.  I have had to choose to make time rather then find it.  Some things that work for me, as a very busy mother of 5 children and a wife of a dairy farmer, are

• Prioritising-When I had the children at home during the day, the children would go down for a rest no matter what the age. This would be my time.  Not time to race around the house cleaning.  The housework will always be there.
• Creating in 5 minute doses-I try and leave out what I'm working on so I can do little bits of work
• Work on smaller scale pieces so they have a chance of getting finished
• Good routines in the house so my time is freed up.  Now my children all go school each day I have housework,  dinner,  washing,  etc all done before the children leave for school so I can create all day. 
• Dovetailing jobs-When I take the children to lessons I do the groceries,  library drop of etc so i only have to go into town a couple of times a week
• Planning-if I plan what I want to do on a daily basis I am more likely to accomplish it
• Writing down my goals of what I want to achieve.
• Only creating one piece of work at a time so I get the feeling of accomplishing something.  When I finish something I am more likely to keep going back and doing more
• Keeping my work space tidy and clean
• Having handwork I can do while my children are watching a movie or T.V.  I can still be with them and create at the same time
• Quilt, paint and stitch along side your children-this teaches them new skills
• Make time for yourself-it helps our children see the importance of looking after me so that we can give to others with a full spirit
• Have a meal plan so you know what you need to cook each day
• read about other peoples art and techniques.  I try and take a book with me on quilting everywhere I go in case i have a chance to do some learning.
• Allocate a night a personal date night every week where your husband/partner or friend looks after your children or if you have no kids a night that they know about so you won't be disturbed so you can quilt, stitich and create to your hearts content.
• Sometimes turn of the phone,  the comuter and the I Pod.  Have techno free days where no one can reach you.

I know if I can create on a daily basis I am happier,  healthier,  a much better mum and a much more completed human being.  Making time for my needs is imperitive for my life.