Tuesday, January 13, 2009

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 :)

3 comments:

Kristi said...

Judging from your completed list I would consider today a success!! You could sit around for the rest of the day in your pajamas, in my opinion!

Mommy Daisy said...

Glad I could help. Your idea of categories is great too. And that was my whole thought...baby steps. Keep it up.

Amanda said...

At least you didn't forget sometime to yourself in your list! That's very important, even if its just to pluck your eyebrows :)