Part Two

Mommy Daisy left a comment on my last post suggesting that I pick one or two things that I know that I can get done each day so that I will feel productive, but not overwhelmed. This is somewhat the strategy that I used before Josiah was born. I had school and work commitments then though so its not like I had any less to do. But I would make sure that I did something from each of my main categories each day. That way I didn't feel that I was neglecting anything in favor of something else, which works well until you get too far behind in like everything. My categories at the time (in no particular order) were: 1. cleaning 2. school 3. work 4. kids 5. house 6. me 7. errands 8. cooking.

Basically if I found time to do some laundry; write a paper; work on some event; play with the kids; do a non-daily chore; pluck my eyebrows; make a trip to the post office and cook a healthy supper, I felt like I had a good day. I would lay in bed that night happy that I was able to do something from every part of my life. DO YOU KNOW HOW EASY IT IS TO GET BURNT OUT LIKE THIS? I actually lived with this as my ideal forever! I don't know why I didn't just say that like 3 days each week will be cleaning and two will be errands or some crap. Instead I always had huge lists of things to do in each category and even though I felt like I was doing good, I also never felt the satisfaction of having any one area completely finished or guilt-free or whatever.

So, I think I am going to take Mommy Daisy's advice and pick a couple things to do from a few categories, every day. My categories have changed now though so Im sure there will be some rearranging and such. Actually now that Im thinking about it, I think there might be just more categories now. Well, lets see. I would need to replace school and work; so in place of them I can add writing and exercise. Josiah can just be added to the kids category but I think that needs to be broken up into two because there are all the regular daily things that I need to be doing with them (baths, playing, crafts) but then there are all the big things that Im working on with them (Chris's kindergarten prep, doc appointments [oooh! another topic for another post], potty training, sleep training, introducing foods for Josiah). I think another category could go to some sort or life planning because I spend a lot of time thinking about those things. An example would be the degree that I was going to start in September requires that the application be submitted in four weeks.

So my list now looks like this: 1. cleaning 2. writing 3. exercise 4. kids 5. house 6. me 7. errands 8. cooking 9. other kids 10. life

erm, wow *reminds myself that I do not need to do ALL of these in one day*

Well today so far I've completed a couple of things already. Its a little after 2 in the afternoon and I have to leave to get Rayden in about a half hour. Before I do that, I still need to have a shower (yes the one I never got to yesterday...Im a dirtbag).

1. nothing...
2. well this is my second post today
3. I shoveled the driveway again this morning after the plow rudely pushed a bunch of snow back into it. It was only about fifteen minutes total and that was broken up into two sessions, one before I brought Rayden to school and one when I got back...maybe do a little more later?
4. Chris and Michael and I made muffins and I actually let them really help
5. I took apart our table today and put it into my storage room. Then I brought up our new table from my brother and put it together. Before I could actually put it in place though, I noticed the gook that had built up around where the kids ate and so I scrubbed the walls and floors (hands and knees people!) just in that area
6. nothing....
7. I actually have a few things to do when I go to pick up Rayden, but I also have some very important phone calls that I have been putting off and that must get done today
8. left-over stew tonight, but I did make those muffins
9. nothing...
10. nothing...

So I guess by my new approach, today has been successful. It doesn't really feel like it but this is about baby steps :)