So in my last post I talked about what THREE areas of my life are the MOST frustrating. I must admit I had planned to post again the very next day and was committed to sticking with the reading plan for the online study of this book. It SO hasn't happened. I could give you 100 excuses but that's all they'd be. It's so typical of me. SO something I want to change about myself. SO FRUSTRATING! My husband must cringe every time I say I want to do something that takes more than a one week time commitment. School, Bible Studies, Organization, Diet and Exercise plans. My follow through is just NOT there. Ever. It makes me sad....HOWEVER I am working on it. Famous last words right??
Seriously though, despite that I haven't read any further, I have been keeping up with the postings for the study and have learned a lot through that. This whole time I have been sssllloooowwwllllyyyy working on organization within my house. I have worked through our game cabinet, my "desk" area, and my pantry. (Which is now brimming with stockpile items, thanks to my couponing).
My focus goal from last time was to come up with quick solutions that could make a change towards being more organized in the three frustrating areas. Those areas are time management/calendar tracking, laundry, housekeeping. One of the topic suggestions that I read may have changed my life forever...I even wrote it on our kitchen whiteboard:
DO NOT SET IT DOWN, PUT IT AWAY. NOW!
Isn't that the story of my life. I fold laundry and set it on the couch. I walk in the house and place whatever I'm carrying on the kitchen island or dining room table (where it usually ends up staying). I sort laundry on my bed and it ends up heaped in a basket again because I get distracted and forget about it until its bedtime. So we have been practicing this...not walking by things on the floor, not setting stuff down, not leaving the laundry sit (still working on this), picking up dishes when I leave the room, and all the while, trying to teach everyone else to make the same changes. This is the solution to #2 and #3. But not #1. I have no clue what to do when it comes to a calendar. I have tried Google calendar. I forget to program things in. Or Nick does. Ive tried a written calendar "big style" on the fridge. Once again, things don't get written down. I tried a carry size that can lay on the island or go with me. Once again, same problem. I tried programming it all into my phone, same problem. **SIGH** Anyone noticing a pattern. Maybe I need HJ for my lack of motivation and follow through. But it seems the root of my problem has been identified. As stated at the very beginning of this post.
Do you have any suggestions?? How do YOU keep track of everything going on?? I need to figure this out soon....before I have FOUR kids with plans and not just two.
Put the stuff on your phone? That works best for me. You normally have it with you so you can just put it in there, then it reminds you of an event or appt.
ReplyDeleteMark & I use a shared google calendar. We can access it on our phones & computers.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like your problem isn't that you need a different method though, just that you need to get in the habit of USING whatever method you pick! I'm not great at this, but I do pretty well. I mostly remind myself to do it because when I hear an event or whatever I think "okay, I need to remember this!" which means I need to put it in the calendar! I also look at my calendar when I'm on the computer to make sure that everything is there.
Ooh, I forgot to add that one of the things I like about using the computer for calendars is that you can set events to be repeating. That way, I don't have to remember to enter things like small group, because the calendar will do it for me!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carrie that your problem sounds like more of a habit that needs to be formed than a lack of good strategy. That said, I'd suggest one of those appointment book style calendar for you right now. They're about the size of a singe subject notebook so they'd fit in J's diaper bag or your purse and they break everyday into 15 minute increments. I like that because then I can physically see how much time something will take and am less likely to schedule something else too close to a prior event. I've even been known to block out time for travel so that I don't over commit.
ReplyDeleteNow that we all need to be on the same page, we have a family calendar in the kitchen. I concede that it's likely way less committed than yours but we all just had to get into the habit of writing on it. Sometimes, my husband sends himself text messages to remember things to put on the calendar.
Also, congrats on the decluttering and organizing your desk, pantry and game cabinet. I decluttered our whole condo while I was pregnant with Joey and I know how much work it is! Good for you!