I hate how much time I waste. I took a hard look at things, and its really pathetic. Between the Facebook, the TV, and the nothing, I waste a ton of time. I can only imagine what I could get done if I didn't waste my time. I've had this realization several times before, and I've improved each time, only to slide backward farther... So its time to start again and remember the little things are important, and that the electronic things are not.
I decided that this process needs some goals.
The first step to starting again is to cut way down on the TV. It's mostly garbage anyway and I spend more time looking for something to watch than actually watching. The other really bad thing is that it affects the kids. They are exposed to things they shouldn't have to be, and they get ignored, which is really the worst of it. So for my kids, I will not watch TV between 7 AM and 7 PM. Those are the hours they are awake, they don't need it and I don't need it so its gone. Just like that. Now, things are different when my husband is home, but I will just have to work hard to avoid the temptation to sit down with him. He can watch it. He works hard and honestly I'm not ready to take on that battle.
So now that I have 12 more free hours... Ok, not really 12, but there will be a few more hours in there. What should I do with them?
My first priority is my kids, so that's where most of it will go. More playing. More learning. More interaction. Little Kenzie needs some love and attention as she hits some big milestones coming up. Travis is learning so fast, I need to make sure he is learning the right stuff and having lots of different experiences.
Secondly, I want more productivity from me. I want to learn new skills and dust off some old ones. I read a blog post today about a woman who's whole week is consumed with music. Between piano students, her own children, and primary, there is music in every part of her life. I want that back in my life. For a couple years I was so busy with music, and I remember being so happy because of it.
I have a house that, with a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, can become amazing. My yard NEEDS landscaping. I want a garden. I need to maintain all that grass. There has to be a way to do it on the cheap and not cheat. So here's to designing a landscape. Learning about plants and design styles to conserve water and attract nature into our space.
The inside of my house can be made more beautiful. Painting walls, decorating the kids room, and making our room an escape. I have ideas, but now I need to do something about it.
I want to sew and make things. Be productive. I have a quiet book project that I have just started and will take a lot of time, but it will be amazing when it's done. I want to sew diapers for my baby.
I can spend more time with Christ. Today in ward conference we talked about how keeping ourselves up spiritually is like daily grooming. Praying is like flossing our teeth. Repenting is like taking a shower. Reading our scriptures is like eating healthy. I have seriously lacked in most of these categories for a long time. So its time to get back on track, with more fervent prayers and daily study of the word of God.
My home can be more organized. We are getting back on track financially. While I know it won't be easy to keep on our new budget, I know it will be worth it when we are debt free and financially sound. That requires planning and careful shopping. Making do with what we have.
Keeping the house clean is another goal. Do the dishes more, keep up on laundry, put things away. I heard from someone that "A clean house is a sign of a wasted life." Yes, to an extent that's true. If I become obsessed with keeping a tidy house I might as well just turn the TV back on. Kids get ignored and I don't learn anything. But I know myself well enough to know that if the basic stuff isn't done, then all I do is obsess about it and make myself, and everyone else miserable. So tidy house is a must for a happy me.
I know there are more things I want to get done, but I think with the list I just made, I've filled more than my allotted 12 hours.
So, small steps first. Let's see how well I do this week. Family is here until Tuesday, but I can make better choices even while they are here. No excuses. Time to start over, again. This time there is no room for error. This is my life and the life of my family at stake, and I won't fail at this.
1 comment:
I find this very difficult too, staying motivated, stopping and being on the kids level, recognizing what is most important to get done in the day. I have decided that each day the "needs" of the house are a little different. I have also found that if I get up and get moving in the morning my whole day is more productive. As far as TV during the week the kids watch one show (like signing time or something educational) and then we as a family watch one show while dinner is cooking (mostly to distract Matthew). Then after kids are asleep we can watch shows that we are interested in and wind down for the day. Good luck with your goals, I know you can make it happen, just remember some days we all need down time - even the kids!
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