I have started reading this book. I found out about it through Facebook....its actually and Internet wide group of women (or mostly women) who are participating in a "book study". Starting June 1st we will be meeting on the fan page for Karen Ehman and discussing different points and questions about the first 4 chapters of the book. So, I've decided to also blog about it. It gives me a chance to actually do the suggested work and gives you a chance to help me become more organized. With my friend CM's help my thought processes have become much more organized but my home and life and still somewhat of a disaster. I'm not looking for or expecting a 100% turn around in how we live our lives (though my husband would probably appreciate it) but looking to continue taking baby steps towards living an organized and PREPARED life. :)
So, today's task is to look at what 3 areas in my life are the most frustrating. She says not to think to hard....just to pick the first 3 that pop into my mind.
#1-Time Management/Calendar Planning
#2- Laundry
#3- Basic Housekeeping
Then to describe how I currently operate in each area by answering three questions about each area.
1. What are you currently doing (or not doing)?
2. What are the results?
3. How is this frustrating you?
Area #1 (Time/Calendar Management)
1. I currently program some items into my phone, and write some items on the calendar, and try to remember some items.
2. The results are that I am almost always double booking myself and my family, forgetting things that the kids (mostly Kristo) have to do, and am running behind.
3. It frustrates me because it shouldn't be hard to put all info in one place and check it daily and plan accordingly. I do plan a weekly menu around what is going on each day....but when I do not check the calendar (or menu) in the morning...I forget about it all and sometimes food doesn't get thawed and plans get forgotten until the last minute, costing us money!
Area #2
1. I currently do laundry when I feel like it. Or remember to. Or can no longer walk over or around the heaps of dirtyness. And I only periodically put away my clothes and the little boys clothes. Nick and the older kids are in charge of putting their own away.
2. The result is that we can never find clothing that we want. Its either clean and stacked in a pile or still in the dirty clothes....or has been left in the washing machine and need rewashed.
3. Its frustrating because I am training my children to do the same thing. I find the clean clothes that I give them wadded up in piles or shoved in corners...forgotten and now in need of being rewashed. We also tend to feel like we don't "have ANY clothing to wear" because we can't find it. I have been doing it long enough that now Nick has started just leaving his clean clothes in a pile too. I feel terribly guilty for being a bad influence on him in that area!! This area also costs us money in water and laundry products due to multiple rewashings of loads.
Area #3
1. I'm not sure I am actually operating in this area at this time....its all or nothing for me.
2. The results are that I find myself apologizing for my disaster anytime someone unexpectedly comes over. I am embarrassed and don't invite people over as often as I'd like to. I turn into "stormin norman" when I DO need to power clean the house for company. I am not a nice Mommy or Wife during this time frame.
3. It frustrates me because I waste a lot of time that could be spent cleaning up or organizing, just sitting around, doing nothing fun with my kids or productive. It also hinders other areas of my life because stuff is in the way of what I need to do. I know how good I feel when it IS clean and I want that feeling all the time. I also do not enjoy making my mess my familys problem.
My next task is to look over what I have just written and mark down any obvious changes that can be easily made. I will be thinking over what I have revealed to myself (and you!) and make this my next post....I know you'll be waiting with baited breath....
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