Sunday, February 5, 2012

Just 15 a day....

So I read this post over at Suzy Q's blog about how we often don't do tasks because we think we don't have time, and by dedicating just 15 minutes to do something, we get a lot more accomplished then we originally thought possible. I'm notorious for letting things like laundry and dishes pile up because I just don't feel like doing it, and don't think I'll get to finish if I start, so I just don't. I also know I spend entirely to much time on the computer, being equally unproductive. While I may sit down with the intention of editing a batch of pictures, or clearing out by blog roll...I end up getting side tracked and before I know it, I've got twenty browsers open and my eyes are slowly glazing over cause I've been sitting here for way to long, while my kids are doing god knows what. I also know that I should spend more dedicated time with the girls', rather then constantly saying "one more minute" while I try to do any of the above. So I think I need a different approach to my days, and dedicating allotments of time sounds simple enough.

I ended up at 9:15  yesterday morning, shuffled downstairs with the littlest one. I plopped her in her daddy's lap while I went to make my coffee, and took one look around the kitchen and sighed in disgust. I shuffled back into the living room, pulled out my phone and curled up with my coffee and my newest addiction, Pocketfrogs. All the while, the daunting task of emptying and reloading the dishwasher and handwashing the leftovers loomed over me. I.hate.doing.dishes. But I decided this morning was going to be different.  I loaded up the stop watch on my phone and set it to 15 minutes. I could sit and play my game and sip my coffee for 15 minutes, and then I had to get up. Sometimes I just need a motivating reminder that I have things to do, instead of getting sucked into something for hours on end. I'm pretty great at time wasting..........anyway. My alarm went off and I promptly got up and started my chore. I didn't bother setting an alarm, cause it was one of those "got to get it all done" kind of things, I just needed the motivation. It felt better getting up, knowing I had spent that fifteen minutes relaxing and now knew it was time to get up. Sometimes, that's all I need. I did the dishes, AND cooked breakfast, and then cleaned up the kitchen again! All before Noon! AND all on a day when the hubby is sleeping for work that night. Preposterous! This system just might work! Later in the day, I was playing on the computer, and Big A climbed up in the chair next to me with her puzzle and asked "Mommy play puzzle with me" and I replied "in a minute"..this probably went on for much longer then I would like to admit, till finally I decided I'd try my little trick for this too! "Ok, we can play puzzles for 15 minutes, then Mommy gets to play with the computer" Suprisingly, it worked pretty well. I closed the laptop and we did the puzzle a few times, and when the time was up, she happily got down and went to do something else. AMAZING. This might just be the answer to all my problems.

The rest of the day didn't go quite as gloriously, but at least it was a start. Little A seemed a little warm to the touch for most of the day, even though neither thermometer I used said she had a fever. She's not been eating very well, but still drinking a ton. I think her teeth are bothering her, since she just cut her far  bottom left incisor. But she seemed a little more irritable over it then normal, so we just lounged around all day on the couch. I didn't even bother with trying to do anything even remotely constructive.

Then D lets me know that the MIL wants to come by for a visit, today, so I thought about trying to do some tidying before bed...and decided against it. I figured she probably wouldn't even really show up, so why bother? Of course, to my suprise she texts me this morning asking when was a good time to come by. Why is "never" not an acceptable response? I just keep telling myself in two months, we will hardly ever see them again. I mean, not like they have made much attempt to visit since we moved up here. Ninety five percent of the time we have to drive the 20 minutes to visit them, all the while they complain that they never get to see the kids. I just don't understand how they can be so freaking busy they can't make more time for their grand-kids. To say it infuriates me is an understatement. Their loss I guess.

At least I only had to put up with an hour or so of awkward silence and forced conversations. Mary-Anne napped most the time her and SIL were here.

Last night was an another awful night for sleeping. I don't know how to get this baby to sleep in her crib. I let her fuss/whine/cry for over an hour last night (After MIDNIGHT!) and she STILL didn't go to sleep. Ugh.

1 comment:

  1. Hello, Crystal. I'm Dani from JB Studio. You tried to purchase the featured kit this month and couldn't get the free addon, so sorry for not answering before. I had some internet and com puter issues due to a summer storm but now it's fixed and I'm back. You have only to purchase the kit and I'll send you the addon. Check here: http://jbstudiodesigns.blogspot.com/2012/02/bit-challenge-1.html

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