Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Time Management

I've been gone awhile. Again. Sorry 'bout that. It's been nutty, and to be honest, I've had other outlets *cough* facebook *cough*

Tonight I devoted quite a bit of energy to answering Kate's question of what we struggle with most in managing our time, and how our days go. I thought I might as well stick it up here and ask you all the same - what do you do? I clearly need to make a few adjustments. On December 15th I start a new job with a much more fixed schedule. We're also going to be moving sometime soon, where I'll have more control over my environment than I have now...obviously a fantastic opportunity to make some big changes! Here's how a typical day goes for me now, and I ask you to tell me what you do, also. Additionally...I'm giving y'all the opportunity to give me some sage advice! Yeah, there's a lot of obvious things I know I need to do differently. Maybe going to bed earlier...folding my clothes right away...gah. I'm a wreck. See for yo'selves...

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7:00 - Alarm starts going off and I hit snooze compulsively.

7:45/8:00-ish - Haul self out of bed. Give self pep talk for shower. Take shower. Run upstairs to throw clean but wrinkled clothes in dryer with a wet washcloth...because let's face it, I'm terrible about putting away clean clothes, if I even get them out of the dryer in a timely manner.

8:50 - Rush out of house without breakfast or coffee in desperate attempt to get somewhere by 9:00

9:10 - Arrive at office or client's house. Apologize to client for being late. Client is very accustomed to this.

10:15-7:00 - Drive from client to client, save the world at each domicile, with random interspersed periods spent errand-running, unhealthy lunch-eating, Kate and Rylie lunch dates, and compulsive facebook-checking. Sporadic paperwork productivity.

7:30-ish - Arrive home. Eat whatever Josh's mom made for dinner. Lament that I'm not eating Indian food or lime pepper tilapia cooked in my own kitchen. Yearn for day we have our own place again.

8:00-12:00 - Randomly surf internet, watch Jon & Kate Plus 8 episodes, have Josh and Laura time, generally disregard any necessary prep work for following morning, feel constantly guilty that I'm not doing paperwork.

12:00 - Finally get into bed, read 2 pages of one of five books I'm trying to get through, and fall asleep much too late.

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Yes, I think I'm ready for a new job with a 10:00 bedtime. And maybe a life coach. Bring it. But be gentle and/or snarky, because clearly I've just laid bare a very open wound (and I like it when you're snarky).

6 comments:

Jon said...

I always try to take an hour or two nap between noon and 3 p.m., it helps with the rest of the day. I highly recommend it.

madjeepgirl said...

i've never been good with the time management-ing. never ever. i think it's a biproduct of my lack of discipline. or perhaps due to my sneaking suspicion that routine is merely a tool of the sith.

and i am part of the rebel alliance.


and a traitor.


seriously though, i find i start gaining momentum if i just nike-swoosh through the stuff i know i should do. force yourself to just do it. you'll feel ahead of the game when you're prepared for the next day, or you drag yourself out of bed.

those are my comments for now. it is much too late for my brain to be assembling other, more interesting and helpful observations.

Miss Laura said...

Nap. Swoosh-ing. Check.

Anonymous said...

I think you need more sleep. Your won't feel so sleepy in the AM and will hit the snooze less. I say wean yourself off the Internet. I've had to do this but limiting my time. Decide what is a priority in your life. Most people think I'm borderline nuts by going to bed so early and getting up so early. However, it enables me to get my priority for the day done and the rest falls into place. That's my two cents!
Anne

Anonymous said...

I had one more thought...I wonder if Jenny blocks facebook from employees? It's blocked for us.

Miss Laura said...

I realize that checking facebook from work is problematic. That's why I mentioned it. And I don't think she does, because I have a friend who works for the state who I've noticed uses it during the day. However, I think it's a good personal goal to do my best to stay off of it while I'm at work.