time management
Hi! Hi, there. Have I told you lately that I love you? Well, I do. I DO.
Folks, I need your help. I have been (self)diagnosed with a syndrome: Extreme Productivity in Small Amounts of Time. Symptoms include: one who is able to clean their entire house in the hour before husband comes home / required to leave for the evening; fits of extreme accomplishment in craftiness followed by months of inactivity; completion of required chores, but lacking in motivation to do extra.
I need to know what your day looks like... how you organize your time... how you get everything done. I realize our responsibilities are different and that your husband loves to iron, but I think in general the needs are the same. Food, laundry, vacuuming.
Here's a normal Winter day:
*dink around write/catch up on the 'puter until I wake Ry up at 9am
*breakfast, dancing, heart to heart talks, and stoke fire
*dress Ry to head outside
*feed cows, cats, check on chickens, and bring in wood for the day (an hour or less)
*back inside where I vacuum real quick
*insert here: therapy some days, grocery shopping, lunch dates, errands, etc.
*Ry goes down from 1-3pm for a nap, where I think about dinner or crafting or Torah homework, and laundry
*Ry wakes up and we head outside again to check on the cows
*dinner prep
*Curt comes home at 6pm
*Ry takes a bath and heads to bed between 7 and 8pm
*Curt plays/works outside, I usually knit and sew inside until bed at 10pm
I know. It's a good life. Obviously, some days are more complicated than others... and some days are not. I have been really fighting internally lately with how I spend my time. And while I may be convicted about some areas (particularly about how I cannot wake up in the morning), I find myself struggling to change it for the better. Our marrige does not keep tally marks of accomplishment, but there are responsibilities. I wonder if I am falling short... and how far.
I was particularly productive last week. I kept the cleaning up, cooked all week, and managed to squeak out some bags for the etsy shop. AND, I started serious work on my first sweater for me and finished Lia's dress. But, my washing machine's been broke for 3 weeks now... so there were less responsibilities than there are today.
Help me out. I see you out there managing to do it all with 5 kids in-tow and I do not understand it. Let me know you have days of crazy downtime where you finish an entire book followed by days of insane chaos that leave you in your pjs all day because there just wasn't ever time to change or shower. Let me know how you manage to wake yourself up in the morning.
You could change my life.
26 people had somethin' to say:
first and foremost your child sleeps until 9!!!!!!! are you kidding me. I am lucky to have BellaRose sleep until 6 am. It is a severe struggle lately. So basically that is how I wake up, plus I am a morning person. Your day pretty much sounds like mine. Did you read my last post? I feel like I just run around in circles all day long. I clean something, BellaRose makes it dirty. I vacuum everyday as well b/c of the dogs! I can't wait to read what everyone else as to say. Maybe they could help me too!
I don't think I've ever commented here before...Your day looks a lot like mine, well, except for the cows and chickens. I can't wait to see what everyone else says here either. I have a 14 month old and can't seem to manage to keep the house clean! (BTW, I'd love it if I could get my daughter to sleep past 6:30 am)
As you know, my previous routine is in upheaval. But I'm fighting my way back. What I know about myself is, without the safety of routine, I can't get ANYTHING done. What I also know about myself is that I struggle against having a routine at all. In "my youth" I reveled in the fact that I was a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of gal. I'm learning. Predictability is not death, and it's not necessarily boring. It's tough to embrace, but it's what I need.
I know what you mean about feeling like you're falling short. I feel a responsibility, since I am the one that is home more, to keep my home nice. And it's not because I'm the woman, it's because I have the time. So if there's fur on the floor or wet clothes in the dryer, the voice in my head tsk tsk's me, not Matt. He doesn't mind, but I do.
As soon as I figure my new routine out, I'll let you know. The biggest thing I do for myself is the meal plan--we'd be sunk without one. That happens on Monday, as does the shopping. Mornings are tough--I am NOT a morning person. Matt gets up at 5:30 to go to the gym, and since we don't have a little one yet I don't get up until he comes home around 7:30. Then I feed the dogs and the cats, make the bed, and come downstairs to start his breakfast (usually coffee, oatmeal, and eggs, because I can manage those without hurting myself or others) and read some blogs. When he comes down I give him his food and clean the kitchen while he eats, usually emptying the dishwasher from the night before also. He's off to work by 8:30 and I spend the next hour or so on the internet and planning the rest of my day. This week that includes going to work at noon, so laundry and vacuuming/sweeping has to happen before then, and hopefully a walk. My mornings used to be much more leisurely! I'm home by 6:30, (he's home at 5) and I start dinner. I cook, he does the dishes. That's our deal. The weekends are for upkeep on the house, Mondays (I have those off) are major housework and groceries. It's a work in progress. It always is. Don't beat yourself up, I think you're doing beautifully-some days are just full of more motivation than others, and some of us just work that way! Embrace the flow, my friend. Embrace it :)
My house is not clean. It's not dirty... but it's not *clean*. I'm not a very put-together person... I'm a make-it-work kind of person. I didn't know this until I was married to the extreme opposite of me :)
And Ry sleeps. She's good at it. She's failed every other test she's been given, but she's a sleeper.
I starting typing...and it would be a very long comment. I deleted it because I'm pathetic.
I'll make a spread sheet. ;)
Seriously, my days vary so much.
AND one thing I'm really bad about, (as you know) is checking the dang computer between every chore/task/whatever. It's an addiction.
For sure after school, I'm mom taxi...it's crazy around here after 4:00...if someone came over then, they'd be sucked up in a whirlwind.
See...I'm in between loads of laundry, and I'm checking again.
It's so bad.
I think you’re doing pretty great, the cows and cats and chickens are fed, Ry is happy and nurtured and loved beyond belief. I once read that we shouldn’t compare ourselves to the best others can do, because we are not them… You are you and you make cute bags, and sundresses, and kill your own chickens, you cherish your daughter, love you husband, and honor your God--- From where I’m standing you look to me like you’ve got things under control. Some days will always be better then others, some days will just plain suck—but those sucky days are the ones that make us value the good day. Take it one day at a time, and be you!!
Hugs
Boy I loved that last comment, I guess from Stacey? I am sitting here while the Bean is asleep feeling guilty for not doing anything when all these things need to be done, but I have to tell you the pictures are cute! They weren't here the first time I stopped by. My friends mom made me a shrug similar to yours, they are so warm!
VERY. STRONG. COFFEE.
and one of those coffee pots that you can set to go off at 6am. if you make it strong enough, the smell alone will give you a caffeine buzz.
MMMM it really is the best part of waking up
Great article. Lets face it, we are all really busy, with too much to do and not enough time. The problem I find with this is that if I am not careful I can end up being controlled by the tyranny of the urgent, constantly putting out fires. Prioritizing and planning my work, and then working my plan, is a great step towards getting the most important things done for me.
http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/time-management-matrix.html
Kell
When I was single, I was an absolute clean freak. I would spend whole Saturday mornings organizing and dusting and scrubbing and when it was all done, I never felt as happy as thought I would feel even with the smell of Pine-Sol wafting in the air.
These days-- with school and baby and messy husband-- sometimes I think I am going to pull my hair out...because the chores are a constant and nothing is ever ALL DONE. I don't ever get to rest on my laurels like the old days. BUT...I just remind myself that having everything "done" isn't going to make me feel all that much better anyway. And I thank God I have a husband and baby to clean up after!!! Too, I try to just accept the tension of a half clean/half messy house...it's going be that way for the rest of my life! I'm learning that happiness really is the ability to live with and accept the mess :)
Happiness is also lots and lots of coffee!!!
hmm. i love having freedom but i'm not good with it. i hate routine, and rebel against the force of "you must do this." (so our place is also clean but not *clean*!)
my time struggles are with getting my work-work done on time without killing myself, which is exactly what happened to me last week. this week i am testing a new strategy involving doing my typing jobs in pieces every day.
because you know i'd MUCH rather be spending my time on books and treasure hunts and musical things and people i like... all things in which i'm afraid of losing my touch.
i don't think it's something we'll all ever "achieve" or "get there" with. but maybe that's just a defeatist attitude ;)
kate - this is all something we struggle with...we all know there is just not enought time in every day to everything we want/should.
I pull my grumpy butt out of bed each morning just knowing I can have coffee. It's definitely an addiction I LOVE!!! LIke Sunday said, my girls do not sleep til 9:00 like Ry. It's more like 7am.
I don't think I should even embarass myself by posting my routine or how I manage my time. I am pretty rigid with "chores" - as I love to clean and organize and keep my household just the way I like it (I vaccuumed today for an hour, and I loved every minute of it). My struggle is sometimes keeping those to do items (like the dirty dishes) alone and spending more time just playing or being with the girls.
As someone else said - I think you are doing just fine! I am always amazed by the things you do!
WOW. Not just 9 a.m., but you have to wake her up then! We only wake up babies around here for doctor's appointments and early morning flights.
Knowing I'm so long-winded, I just wrote about our days here.
Our days sound similar, minus the livestock, but definitely including the struggle to try to do more than just get by.
i wake up only because the babies wake me up. and even then, i try to ignore them. i have a scratch barely missing my eyeball from avery trying to attack me awake this morning. after rising, i slide down the stairs in hopes that the boy is waiting for me with a big mug of coffee. if not, i curl in a ball and cry on the couch until he makes me some.
and my house: NEVER done. i'm reinstating my weekly chore checklist in hopes of gaining some control. today is day one of our fresh spreadsheet of duties, and so far all i've managed to do is draw daisies on it. who needs to mop anyway? the dogs are just going to get it filthy again when they come back in.
and for the record, i put my jammers on after my nightly shower and remove them about 24 hours later for my next shower. i try to get by with referring to them as "leisure ware", but let's face it: they're my pjs and the checkout girls have learned to accept it.
I dont understand either...I can hardly do it with two although we are slowly getting a routine. how in tarnation do you get Ry to sleep to nine!!!! oh for the love. I am up by 5:30 with little man and Rylie Jayne is up no later then 7:30 usually 6:30...Plus I go to bed at 830 these days. Little Man still likes to wake up ALOT at night...
Mama's pooped!
My favourite part about the first picture is little Ry in the background, being all cute as usual. :)
Ok you vacuum every day! i am impressed solely by that, I guess I might have to do that too when Ellen starts to crawl. Mainly I feed Ellen every 3 hours and put her down for 3, 1 hour naps every 2 hours, so when I have an hour I try to do as much as I can oooorrr just piddle on the computer. My days are so segmented right now I value my spare time!
You seem like you are doing awesome!
I have learned a lot from this post and these comments.
It's hard for me to live contently without a clean house, it's hard for me to love my husband well and not hold him to a "works based" life. It's hard for me to wake up some days and know that even if the house is a mess I am loved by the most high God and that is all that matters. It's just hard to get it all done and remember...so...I think I'd say my best advice is to make sure whatever you are doing, whatever changes you feel you need to make (even though your life seems perfect to me and very well accomplished). Make sure all of it stems from knowing that you are deeply loved by God and that only that can satisfy.
I think I really believe sometimes that a clean house can "save" my soul. Sad isn't it.
Love the shrug, the dress and miss rylie in the background. and...yeah...9am? wow and awesome.
And one more thing so you don't feel alone....
My kids would sleep till 9 too if they didn't need to be up for school.
Abbi, *ehem*, would sleep until noon if I'd let her.
Yup...all my kids when they were little, seriously slept until about 8:30-9 am. And Hannah, unless she's woken up by the commotion of getting ready for school, would wake up very happily at about 9.
WE are not morning people around these parts.
EVERYONE has there OWN schedule with there OWN kids.
oh i love this post. i seem to have found some vaccuming **kindred spirits**!
We are awakened by Walker between 5and 7. Tommy leaves for work at 7:15 and i run around vaccum, make beds, etc to get the house "in order" for the day. Then we have breakfast, i down coffee and play on the computer. Then school or play with friends, or outside, then lunch and nap (hopefully) and i do chores or cook or, really, i make lists. Lots of lists. My son even likes to get a pen and doodle while declaring "i am making lists like you!" Somehow I feel more organized if its all written down. And i cannot relax or be comfortable at my house if it isn't clean. We have a cat and three dogs who come in and out so i do have to vaccum daily :)
Looks like you have a great schedule, and remember, when we are working 24 hours a day as mommies, its ok to be non-productive some days of the week!!
Oh my, I have really enjoyed reading this post and all of the different responses. Everyone has had such great stuff to say.
I really don't have anything to add so I will just echo everyone in saying that you really are doing an awesome job. You are spending quality (and quantity) time with Rylie and your hubby and you make dinner every night! I hate to make dinner so I feel like that is where I fall short.
One thing I have experienced in life so far is that kids get easier as they get older. Having a two year old (almost) is time-consuming and hard. As they grow, they can learn to help out and take care of themselves so life is doable with more children.
As for our schedule, it varies too much, but I do better in life when I have a list of chores that I try to accomplish each day and a make a meal plan for the week. not that I always do that cause I am NOT a planner.
Still thinking about the guitar? I will tell you everything I can via the computer to help. You can do it! Youtube is great too.
One last thing, my Adam sleeps til 9 if we don't have anywhere to go. The other 2 get up around 7:30.
I think it was an Erma Bombeck quote I read once that said when she looked back it wasn't how clean her house was that mattered (and that she wished she'd known that then...). I'm probably taking great liberties with that non-quote, but the idea is pretty sound. I know for certain that when I look back on this time I won't care if I waited to do the laundry 'til everyone ran out of undies. It matters that we laugh and dance and create... It also matters that I reflect my priorities to my little guy: long walks to find leaves rank much higher than clean windows.
Anyhow. I wake up with too much coffee and sometimes, if I'm lucky, I get a shower in too!
I love your blog. ahem...I LOVE YOU!
Also, the piggy market bag. :)
Katish, can I first just say how much I appreciate how conversational your blog is? It's like an AA meeting, it's just fantastic.
Hello, my name is Laura and I cannot manage my time effectively.
I have a very flexible schedule with my current job, which often gets the best of me. (This will soon be changing with my NEW JOB, yesss!), but here's a stab at how it generally goes:
7:00 - Alarm starts going off and I hit snooze compulsively.
7:45/8:00-ish - Haul self out of bed. Give self pep talk for shower. Take shower. Run upstairs to throw clean but wrinkled clothes in dryer with a wet washcloth...because let's face it, I'm terrible about putting away clean clothes, if I even get them out of the dryer in a timely manner.
8:50 - Rush out of house without breakfast or coffee in desperate attempt to get somewhere by 9:00
9:10 - Arrive at office or client's house. Apologize to client for being late. Client is very accustomed to this.
10:15-7:00 - Drive from client to client, save the world at each domicile, with random interspersed periods spent errand-running, unhealthy lunch-eating, Kate and Rylie lunch dates, and compulsive facebook-checking. Sporadic paperwork productivity.
7:30-ish - Arrive home. Eat whatever Josh's mom made for dinner. Lament that I'm not eating Indian food or lime pepper tilapia cooked in my own kitchen. Yearn for day we have our own place again.
8:00-12:00 - Randomly surf internet, watch Jon & Kate Plus 8 episodes, have Josh and Laura time, generally disregard any necessary prep work for following morning, feel constantly guilty that I'm not doing paperwork.
12:00 - Finally get into bed, read 2 pages of one of five books I'm trying to get through, and fall asleep much too late.
Yes, I think I'm ready for a new job with a 10:00 bedtime. And maybe a life coach. Bring it.
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