A Rambling Post

It's about 8 p.m. EST and I had to work from home today because Daughter doesn't start preschool until next Tuesday and Husband had to work. It's a wonderful 3-day weekend that I got an early start on, so it's one of those moments when it feels like you've got all the time in the world and you're wondering what item off your daily to-do list to tackle. Me? I want to write. Not blog really, even though that's what I'm doing, but I have a new children's story idea to work on and an old one to finish up and a magazine article to revise so I can submit it somewhere and an ICL lesson to finish that I am now officially late sending in.

Maybe I'm procrastinating. It is dark in here because hubby is sleeping and the kids are still in the other room liquifying their brains with cartoons. (Anything goes on a Friday night.) So I'm in a thinking mood. I find myself thinking about time management and doing all the things that prompted me to start this blog in the first place. See, in a month one of my 2 business groups will feature a guy talking to us about time management. I'm stubborn. I don't want to hear "Carry a calendar" because I barely like carrying a purse. I don't want to hear "Schedule everything" because I don't like schedules, only "timing suggestions.' I don't want to hear, "Turn off the T.V." because I LOVE to watch certain shows. That's right. I admit it. My name is Monica and I'm addicted to Nip/Tuck, The Apprentice (when it's on), Gilmore Girls, CSI and Big Love, to name a few. I can also watch just about anything on TLC and HGTV and Bravo is my version of romance novels. The solution is TiVo and I'm almost at the point where I don't even want to wait until I get a house now. I'll just do it here and take it with me whenever we leave. I don't have to watch a show when it's on - hard to do with business meetings and children needing baths - but I want to be able to watch anytime I'm ready.

So as I prepare for this meeting, we have to write out a Have To Do List and a Want To Do list. I can list so many things on my Have To list but when I think of my Wants, I'm coming up short. Honestly it's not because I don't know how to put my desires first. It's more like it's because my Have To list is full of things I want to do - my job, my writing, taking care of my kids, my business. My Want To list so far is reading for fun (don't do enough of that); going to movies WHILE THEY ARE STILL IN THE THEATER; dating my hubby more regularly and staying better connected to my friends in and out of state. All important, but two of them have a lot to do with the availability of others anyway so they aren't 100% in my control.

So this leads me back to my original concern when this blog was born - how the heck do I successfully and consistently do everything I want to do, which is my have-to list?

1-I have to devote time to God (He's coming up short right now in favor of sleep) so let's say I get up an hour early. (Wishful thinking, I know.) After that, I get 3 people ready for the day.
2-I have to work so that's about 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Fri.
3-Running errands before home - 6-7:30 p.m. OR monthly biz meetings to 9 p.m.
4-Otherwise, home cooking for the sake of losing weight to about 8 p.m. or a little after.
5-And while I do that, bathe kids/help with school work/prepare for next day to 8 p.m.
6-Eat and feed greedy Daughter until about 9.
7-Too tired to move so hold Daughter until she falls asleep - until 11 if I'm beat, might get away at 10 if she falls out.
8-10 to 11 - whatever I can do in my moment of silence OR 11 p.m. Husband gets up for work and I hop on computer for business stuff or writing or catching up on email. Bed by 2 a.m. if I am getting something done. 11:30 if I am not.
9- On some Saturdays, hair at 8:30 a.m. until about 1 p.m or else sleep late and get up about 9.
10 - housework/errands if I absolutely must until about 2 p.m and feeding kids in there somewhere.
Then I have the rest of Saturday! Sometimes. So why aren't I more productive? Sometimes I am. I go with whatever is pressing most times - business stuff, writing, reorganizing the little space I have so I don't go insane.
11- Sundays? Well, this is not a sabbath day for me because it feels like I work, so for me Saturdays are a sabbath which is why I do what I want then. (Aside: Not a religious thing. I just believe everyone should observe the Sabbath but I don't believe it is the same day for everyone. After all, preachers work on Sundays.) So I'm up no later than 8 a.m. cooking breakfast, washing dishes, washing clothes, washing children, going to church, going grocery shopping afterward, fixing dinner, preparing for next day and by now, it's 7 p.m. and time to put away all that laundry and tuck the big kid in bed. Don't tell me Sunday isn't a work day!

Yep, I'm rambling a little bit but as much as I hate schedules, I do need a vague one. Certain days I do certain things and that's as close as I'll come to scheduling. I dare you to try to make me pinpoint a time! But even that is hard because I basically need to do a little of everything EVERY day. Maybe I'm a rebel. Maybe it's a Saggitarian thing (we're supposedly adventurous and a little stubborn but we love to help people.)

You know, now that I think about it, it does help to be on a weight loss plan and have counselors to be accountable to - makes me do it. And to have a critique group - makes me write regularly. And to have a financial advisor - keeps me focused on the goal knowing someone is going to call me on it if I stray too far. And having a business partner keeps me working on the biz. A husband keeps me thinking about the home and the needs of my family. Maybe I need someone to help me account for my time too. I don't know what that makes me but if I'm getting things done, who cares.

I don't know. I'll write all this stuff down and figure it out eventually. It took me a long time - YEARS - to get into a financial spending plan and like it. I'm sure I'll figure out a spending time plan and like that too because I'll finally feel like I'm getting it all done and feeling somewhat balanced.

Just please don't throw one more ball into the mix. I don't think my life could handle it!