PLEASE NOTE: The contest for the free e-book is over. Congratulations to Joy! You may still feel free to post comments.

I recently asked this question to my facebook and twitter friends: As a spouse going through deployment, are you always busy or are you always trying to fill the void?

The answers were really interesting. Many said they stayed busy, especially those who were mothers. But others said that it seemed like they were always trying to do something to keep from getting too still. Getting too still can be dangerous territory for a military spouse. Too much downtime and your mind can start to wander to places you may not want to go. Still, there were those women who said that even though they stay busy, they still felt like there was a void. So what’s the answer?

I think too often we spend our time spinning our wheels and not enough time focused on something positive. We find ourselves just trying to survive and by the end of the deployment, we’re tired, worn out and maybe feeling like we don’t have a lot to show for everything we’ve done.

About a year ago, I decided I wanted to put a list of ideas together for spouses that they could use during deployment. Over the last couple of months, I have worked on that goal, and today I’m excited to announce The Busy Book: 99 Ways To Stay Busy During Deployment, an ebook you can download for your reading pleasure (and see a preview of) at my new store on lulu.com.

Here’s the description:

Military spouses who are going through deployments sometimes struggle to
find time for themselves. They’re busy, but they often feel like they’re
spinning their wheels more than they are getting a whole lot done. When this
happens, setting goals and planning one or two special projects can change a
spouse’s perspective for the better.

The Busy Book offers 99 different ways a military spouse can stay busy
during a deployment. Ideas are found in one of four areas: physical, mental,
social and spiritual. A special feature includes the web links that come with
many of the 99 ways, leading you to more information about a specific idea, and
a checklist can be printed out for you to keep record of the different
activities you’ve already tried.

I would LOVE to give away a free copy of my first ebook to you, my great readers, so I will hold a drawing on Monday, March 9. All you have to do is add a comment to this post, telling me one way you stay busy during a deployment. You do not have to currently be in a deployment to enter the contest or to win. Tell your friends!

(Special thanks to my wonderful husband, Cliff, for designing the cover. :) )

Related posts:

  1. Congratulations to Our Busy Book Winner!!
  2. Does Deployment Change Your Friends?
  3. “Sharing” During Deployment
  4. When Busy is Good
  5. Distractions of Deployment