Mom has no time to waste

By CANDY REAGAN / Abilene Families Editor

Risha Sanders doesn’t have time to waste.

As mother of two busy children, owner of her own business, president of Junior League and an avid tennis player, she just doesn’t have the time to spare.

So she’s forced to stay focused.

 “People think that I am so organized and that I have it all together,” she said. “I don’t necessarily feel that way. But I get a lot accomplished.”

“I have so much going on that I get scattered if I don’t focus,” she said. “I have to write things down, and I compartmentalize my time. I try to focus on one thing instead of getting distracted.”

Sanders said she also tries to identify her priorities for the day and get those accomplished first.  And she tries to leave work at work.

“When I’m home, I like to be at home,” she said. “I try not to take work home so that when I’m home, I’m mom to my kids. That’s the way I keep balance.”

Sanders said her family has a huge calendar on the door leading to the garage which they call “Grand Central Station.”

“Every test, every piano lesson, whatever we have going on goes on that calendar,” she said. “If we have things that get sent home, it goes on the calendar, and we tape that paper on the back door, so it’s all in one location. We check that every day. That’s the one way we can keep our heads above water.”

Sanders said her husband, Rick, is a huge help in juggling all the work, family and personal activities.
“Rick and I definitely work as a team,” she said. “I just couldn’t even imagine how I would do everything without him.”

Tennis is Sanders’ favorite way to relax and unwind, but she said the only way she can carve out time for herself is to play team tennis. That way other people are counting on her to be there.

“Then I will make the time to go out and practice,” she said. “That keeps me sane. When you’re a competitor, the adrenaline rush from a win, it helps me through the rest of the week.”