Monday, December 6, 2010

Taking 5; or, Balance? What the Heck is that?

On my way in to work this morning I was thinking about my weekend and how much I didn't get done:

I didn't get my Christmas tree up
I didn't get the dog pee smell out of the carpet (I think I'll have to lose the elderly dog and the carpet to take care of that one)
I didn't finish the quilt for Laura
I didn't get my NaNo project reorganized for revising/finishing
Okay, I don't need to go on, but the list is pretty long.

Then I started thinking about my to-do list:
All the things that didn't get done over the weekend
Cure cancer and peripheral nerve injuries, and if there is time, PTSD
Be a better mom
Be a better wife
Be more spiritual
Be a great writer

But then I got distracted while sitting at a stoplight, checking to see if anyone interesting had Tweeted yet this morning.

Which brought me back around to all the time I spend with social media and then how much I didn't get done over the weekend....although I did have some interesting conversations in cyberspace! 

So.  I'm practicing balance today.  I am setting my timer for fifteen minute increments and (whoops, hang on, it just went off).

Okay, I'm back. 

And I'm doing the different things I want and/or need to do in fifteen minute increments, so that maybe bythe end of the day, I'll feel like I've at least made some progress.    And instead of feeling like I'm running around getting nowhere, maybe I'll be able to cross something off the list. 

My other resolution for the week?  Leave the Crackberry in my purse when I'm behind the wheel.  Honest, I don't text and drive, but I sure do check it every time I hit a stop light.  I actually sat all the way through a light today and listened to the radio, and learned that It's Dave Brubeck's 90th birthday, so in honor of Dave and all of us who try to do too much, let's Take Five, shall we? 

4 comments:

  1. let me know how that 15 mins experiment works I am interested in finding a cure for cancer too

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  2. You forgot "achieve world peace" on your To Do list. ;)

    Seriously, sometimes taking five is the best thing we can do for those around us, as well as ourselves. Thanks for the reminder. :)

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  3. I can be the queen of getting nothing done and I don't even have the excuse of social media taking up my time because I largely don't participate in it. But wasting time on the internet is another story. I can waste A LOT of time reading blogs and news articles. Setting a timer is a great way to give yourself permission to indulge in things that can become a time suck, but it imposes that self-discipline that reminds you other things need your attention too.


    I don't have a timer beeping, but I should probably find something to do that doesn't involve the computer! = )

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  4. Joanna; I'm actually pretty busy this week, so if you want to take over the cancer thing, I'm okay with that (I'm cool like that with sharing the glory and stuff).

    Linda; I guess I was under the impression that world peace was your job. Since you are so stubborn and all, you can probably stand up to those grumpy guys.

    Mary; Fifteen minutes at a time, and I'll have another love scene to send you in about...six months?

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