I’d read, but I don’t have enough time.
I’d volunteer, but I’m too busy.
I don’t have time to do THAT.
If this is you, then you must read Jessica N. Turner’s book, The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You. Who doesn’t need more time? This book is for every busy woman.
So many thoughts from this book resonate with me, and many I’ve spoken to about. One part, give yourself grace, I even discussed in a presentation about balance last year.
Let’s talk about balance for a minute, since, well, that’s a main theme of this blog and what I truly believe in. Jessica says, early in the book (page 34), “the only way to have balance is to fight for it.” She goes on to say that a woman’s schedule needs to have openings, time that is available. How often do we max out our schedules? Wake up and get the kids to school, go to work, pick up kids, go to sports, do after school activities, make and eat dinner (often separately), do homework, take showers, do laundry, and do more work, then collapse in bed. The weekends can be even worse. We jam our schedules with so many activities that we can’t find time for ourselves. This is where the book helps.
Jessica talks about getting up early. One of the most memorable parts of this book for me is the section where she talks about “how you spend your 5-9 determines how you’ll spend your 9-5.” WOW! Powerful words. Think about this one for a minute.
I’m not a morning person, but this hits home. More and more I hear about people I admire, successful entrepreneurs, bloggers I follow, famous business people – they get up early. They fit into their mornings, things that might not get done if they wait until 8 am. It’s something to consider if you’re maxed and stressed out. And, let’s face it — being a woman today means we’re busy. I don’t care if you have no children, one child, two, or ten — we’re all doing a lot.
Another reason Jessica’s book is great is that she talked to real women. Some of their stories really resonate and are memorable. One woman was struggling to do so much at home. She was pregnant with her third child and her husband told her he wanted to do a sport after work. Obviously, he had no idea what he was suggesting. Instead of saying, “OK honey, I’ll do more so you can go play,” she said, and I LOVE this, “I’m drowning, and you are asking me to swim harder, when what I need for you to do is reach your arm down and pull me out of the water.” I hope this sentence changes lives. That it empowers women to ask for, to demand if that’s what it takes, help. This is what makes Jessica’s book different. She offers hope when it can feel hopeless.
And, she speaks from 
personal experience as the mother of three children, working full time outside the home, writing and producing a successful blog, and she managed to write this book. I think she knows something about being a busy mom, yet she’s finds time to do things she loves like crafting and scrap booking. And, in this book, she’s teaching the rest of us how to prioritize ourselves and make time for things we love too.
Read The Fringe Hours today. You can see other reviews at Amazon. If you’re like me, you’ll have it underlined and marked up with reminders of how to make the most of your days.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the book from the publisher. Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a purchase, we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Opinions are my own.
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ABOUT ALICIA: Alicia is the founder of Balancing Motherhood.com. Last year, she managed to stay sane while completing an MBA, working full-time, blogging, and still baking amazing birthday cakes — all while raising a young family at home.
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