Getting it done

(We're cruising! This post has been written ahead and scheduled to post during our time away. Please feel free to leave comments. If I don't get around to moderating them while we are gone, I'll do it when we return next week. Blessings!)

The last 4ish years of my life (and especially the last 2-3 since children entered my world) have been an ongoing struggle for discipline in my life. There is so much to do... and so much I just don't want to do, don't have "time" to do, don't have energy to do.... It goes on and on and on! The house needs to be cleaned (and I mean really cleaned), not to mention de-cluttered and put away, laundry needs folding and ironing, beds need changing, lists need making, dishes need washing, things need organizing, calls need making, floors need sweeping. Again, the list goes on and on. The constant struggle is that I'm just not getting it done. And this says nothing for extra projects.

Understand, I'm not saying that I'm working hard night and day and can't keep up with it all. I know that is the case with a lot of us, and if I was really trying, it may still be the case with me one day. When I look at that whole idea, I'm more than happy to look at my season in life and adjust my standards. No, I'm just not getting to it. I'm looking at it and finding that I'm wasting my time instead of doing what needs doing. I find myself at the end of the day, looking back at all that I've done, and most of the time it's not much. Sure... I can find a few things that I did, but mostly I realize how much more I could have done if I hadn't wasted my time during the rest of the day.

I am grateful that I've seen some improvement in the last few months... though not every day by any means (today for instance was not a productive day). I find that the days I actually take these steps I am much more productive!!

• Plan! I do this the night before when I can. I keep a journal like book nearby and make a new list for each day. I think through all that could be done and decide what I want or need to do tomorrow. I make this list as it comes to me, not necessarily in priority order. Then I may number the first few things I want to do (not all of them, but the next 2-3 on my list) and tackle those. When I've done and crossed off those things (I love crossing off), I'll re-number the next few. This way I can re-prioritize if things don't go according to plan (and when do they ever???)
• Get up early! I'm working to get better at this. At least I was. I fell off the band wagon recently and am excited to return from our cruise so I can get back to it. I get so much more done when I get up early. Because this isn't something I'm used to, I'm doing it in steps. First I moved our 8am alarm to 7:30 for me... then 7:15... then 7. I only did the 7am one a couple times before things got crazy and late nights seemed the norm again. The plan is to get up as early as 6:30 or earlier someday. When I can get up before the kids I have time for reading God's Word (no guarantee it will happen otherwise), pray, put away dishes, straighten anything out of place, blog and computer time (allowing for me to turn off the computer the rest of the day till nap time), etc. Someday I may even get up early enough to include a shower in the morning. I can't even imagine what that must be like!
• Clean up the kitchen before bed! This one is huge. If I can have the dishes done, counters wiped down, and the kitchen table cleared and cleaned before we go to bed, it does more than just save me time in the morning needing to do these things. It affects my outlook on the whole day. It makes me smile! When I forget or forgo this step in the evenings, I tend to spend my morning putting off the job as long as possible. There is much more lolly-gagging and procrastination. When I do them, I'm much more excited to see what else I can accomplish with my day.
• Get it done before lunch! As far as all those items on my to do list... I need to get them done before lunch. Once we're done with lunch and I get the kids down for their naps, I'm about out of energy. Especially during pregnancy! If I can get it done before that time, then I don't have to worry about. Anything else I do is just extra... like those projects I never get to!

This is what's been working for me. Like I said, I'm looking forward to coming home from this vacation with my husband to renewed energy and resolve to stick to this and see things happen around here. What works for you???

Labels: Home Making, Keeping My Home, Mommy's Tool Box

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:04 AM