Friday, October 1, 2010

A Little Each Day..


So I've made up a new plan for my days. We'll see how it works. I've been frustrated lately with how the day just seems to start and gain momentum without me. Before I know it I've done nothing I wanted to do, half the things I had to do, and way more of the things I didn't need to do than I actually wanted to do. (Ha- now if that ramble made sense to you, then I know we're connected.)

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Days seem to find their rhythm and unless I consciously direct that rhythm then I'm usually staring at the clock at 2 in the afternoon, realizing I have half an hour until I need to go pick up my son and I'm still in my pj's, have a sore butt from sitting in front of the laptop all morning, and am sipping a really cold cup of coffee instead of eating my lunch. Now I'm hungry, have an entire day's worth of to-do's yet to do, and still need to dig out a pair of jeans, and am seriously cross-eyed from staring at the computer screen. Too many of these days during the week and then all those errands I should've parceled out throughout the week usually get stuck into two days of non stop running. Wednesday was like that. I was on the go from 9 am to 3 pm. I actually ate lunch in the grocery store parking lot so that I could make the most of my time. Yup- I was that person.



So to avoid those days I've now got a new plan. First of all, I'm NOT going to check my e-mail right away in the morning. I'm NOT going to start the day with a blog post, I am going to eat breakfast, do my bible study, and then get dressed each morning. Then I'm going to decide on a plan for the day. I'll try to sprinkle in the errands throughout the week, and hopefully I'll have time to do some of the fun stuff too. Like actually make art. Then a little bit of laundry, and a little bit of cleaning and then hopefully they won't take one entire day each to do. I'm going to leave when I'll do my blog post open for now. I liked doing it right away in the morning but that usually is what led to my sitting down at the computer at 9 and not getting up until 2 days. So I'll still have to work on when would be the best time for this. I think if I give myself some computer time after I get dressed and make my plan for the day then maybe I can limit my time more effectively. I'll save the blog reading and browsing for a lunch time activity/me time.

That's my plan I think and I'm gonna stick with it. I'll let you know how it goes. :) How do you balance your day? Does it move you or do you move it? How do you balance your to do list with your want to do list? I'd love to hear if you've any tips. :) Thanks!!!

5 comments:

The MadStamper said...

LOL!!!! Jen, you are so great!!! :) I am sorry to admit this but I am happy to find out that I am not alone in this!

The few days that I've actually had time to myself(this is a new thing for me, like yourself),I have done the same thing and I hate myself afterward! UGH!!!! So, anyway, I am lovin' your idea and instead of racking my own brain right now, I am just going to go ahead and steal your idea because it sounds soooo good! AND, I think I may actually be able to do it and STICK to it. :) hehehe!

I hate that feeling of "all the stuff I could have done(especially my crafting!) and didn't" feeling and am excited to actually make something of my day. Although, I have to say that since I am new to this welcomed "free" time, a few wasted days was kind-of a gift to myself :)...but now back to life and accomplishing something! Thank you, again, for inspiring me!!! HUGS!

Single Stone Studios said...

Ugh, did you HAVE to bring this up?! Seriously Jen, I come here to read about fun stuff ;)

No really, I've been on a mission lately - a mission to make my house oragnized and trying to get it to run on auto-pilot from day to day with the occassional day to wash windows, pull eveything out of the closet and do donations etc. This is a real challenge for me. I tend to be organizationally-challenge. There, I said it, out loud on your blog. BUT I have been reading and praying and I can do it. A little at a time I'm discovering problems points and coming up with solutions for them. So now this won't be one of my overwhelming hindrances which makes me tend to give up on this area. I love working from home but someone is ALWAYS here which means it's in a constant state of usage and keeping up with that needs to be addressed and find it's way into my daily schedule.

Cristi Baxter Clothier said...

Well Jen, you once again have read my mind or should I say you've recreated my every weekday! I always get to the end of the day wondering where the time went and why I accomplished so little.

It seems as though some days the time leads me instead of me leading my time. For me it's a mindset. I find that if I get up in the morning with a plan then I get alot done and feel as though I can take time for me. If I get up with the motivation to get done what "needs" to be done first thing, then that leaves plenty of time to do my creative play.

Planning with intention is the key for me. If I have a plan the night before then I'm good to go and I always get time to create that next day.

Have a fabulous weekend!

chrissy said...

jen...i had to laugh at myself because i was TOTALLY with you on that first paragraph. sadly. this is what i have learned recently...when i get up in the morning (usually after i get my kiddos off to school or EARLY if im not too sleepy...) the FIRST thing i do BEFORE anything else is prayer and scripture study. before i shower, before i go to the computer, before i eat. my day goes SO MUCH BETTER now that i have adapted that routine into my life. i think you are totally on the right track sister.
i am so excited for your book. i can.t even imagine how giddy that must make you feel.
happy days ahead.
xo
c

MaikesMarvels said...

I'll be evaluating my internet time as well this weekend. My aim is to set a timer to do JUST what I set out to do (work on my web site) instead of scrolling through blogs and clicking through link after link after link. If time's up, I have to move on to other tasks and then come back to the site later. It does work wonders for other chores (amazing how clean a kitchen can look in just 15 minutes!)-so we'll see how it goes!