In regular life, being a working mom and business owner means setting a schedule and sticking to it. From week to week, I tend to set regular days/times to handle recurring tasks, and I stick to my schedule as much as possible—if I don’t, it’s too easy for things to start slipping through the cracks.

So imagine my surprise when I logged onto my Facebook Page to conduct my every-single-Thursday Live conversation . . . only to realize that it was, in fact, Friday. Had I really lost an entire day somewhere? Crap.

Honestly though, it wasn’t a huge deal. I ultimately decided to go live anyway (albeit a day late), and the situation gave me the opportunity to ruminate on this interesting experience many of us are sharing right now. In a world where we’re usually obsessed with time, schedules, and making plans, this quarantine has allowed us to slip into a place where we can literally lose track of the days.

Why You’ve Started Losing Track of Your Time

So, why is this happening? Is it simply because we’re staying home and not keeping to a social calendar? Maybe, but I personally think it goes deeper than that.

I think we’re losing track of our days because we aren’t exercising our boundaries.

On the surface, it seems like social distancing should have given us more time back. However, for many of us, all this staying home, working from home, schooling from home, etc. has tempted us to loosen up our work/life boundaries. 

Think about it: Have you recently found yourself “just doing a little extra work” during evening or weekend time when you normally wouldn’t? Letting your kids stay up a little later than usual? Making yourself available to emotionally support family and friends 24/7?

Those actions might seem small, but combined with our new lack of regular routine and high stress levels at the moment, slacking off on your boundaries can lead to major burnout, brain fog, and yes—the sense that you’re not really even sure what day it is.

How to Reclaim Your Time

Getting a grip on your schedule and taking control over your time again starts with recognizing which boundaries you’ve let slip, and putting them back into place. For some of us, this might just mean that we really need to stop working on weekends. For others, maybe we need to take a full-on vacation day to rest, connect with our loved ones more meaningfully, or enjoy some me-time.

There’s no specific thing we can all do to feel like we’re in control of our time right now. Look at your own life, pinpoint the places where you aren’t respecting your own boundaries, and take small steps to carve out designated work time, family time, and personal time.

I know that I need a day where I just take care of me. Workout, relax, play some cards. Just chill. What will your day look like?

I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a note in the comments section below, or follow me on your favorite social media platform! I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and I’d love to connect with you during this season where our virtual connections have become SO incredibly important.