Well, I had planned to write about a whole other topic, but I thought I'd write about the original one that intended for when I had planned this in my head on the commute home tonight.
(and Yes, I realize that made absolutely no sense....and if it did, come sit by me...I have cookies for my fellow crazies)
My commute can roughly last anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour in the morning and the same going home in the evening. While jamming out to my fave tunes on the radio (I can tell you my presets and if you're in the neighborhood please to be checking them out, too: 92.3, 99.7, 102.9, 104.5, 106.7 and 107.1. They're all awwwwesome), I make a mental list of things that might need to get done in the evening or sometimes I let my mind wander about a story that I'm writing or what I should write my next blog post about. It's a great time to just formulate. Sometimes it's a word that the DJ says or a lyric to a song playing on the radio that inspires whatever I'm going to be writing about.
Today, there wasn't anything tripping my proverbial trigger, musicwise, but I kept coming back to the small list of things I had 'to do' when I got home. The past few weeks, I've been adopting some new habits that have been working out pretty danged well for me. While I'm going to assume that a lot of you folks already do these, I sure didn't before. Here's a small sample of what I've been up to:
1. Going to bed by 10:30. That means lights out, kindle off, prayers said, and closing my eyes with my head on the pillow. I've also tried to allot at least 20 minutes or more for reading on my kindle, too. I've been rereading through The Wrinkle in Time series and am on the very last book (my fave, I think, in the triology) and loving every second of it! The benefits of this going to bed at a decent hour are monumental. I feel better in the morning, more rested, and happier.
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2. Making my lunch the night before. Okay, so I definitely know that a lot of you are super diligent about this and I have never ever been. But, for the last two weeks solid, I've been packing my lunch in Sadie's super cute Hello Kitty lunchbox. I can only imagine what my fellow Cambus passenger's think about my lunch tote lovingly embroidered with 'Sadie' on it and the iconic kitty, too. Oh well, I wear Converse often and red skinny jeans. That pink bag don't look too out of place when I'm carrying it.
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3. The 15 minute Chez Hez Fix-All. This has been INVALUABLE to my sanity. I've spent roughly 15-30 minutes checking each room and picking up odds and ends and putting them away often enlisting the children who have left this or that lying around and having them tote it off to their room or wherever its 'home' is. This, again, has helped me out so much. I don't walk into clutter when I get home or at least it's not as terrible as it has been in the past and keeps things supremely manageable. Included in this little scenario is me tossing in a load of laundry and also folding a load of laundry and putting it away (or handing it off to the offspring to be put away). (and yes, I also put my clothes out for the next day, too. Lead by example, I say. ;) )
4. Bedtime routines for short folks. This includes getting jammies on, putting clothes out for the next day, locating mittens and hats and boots to ready for the a.m., and to brush their teeth. Again, lifesaver 101. Jude still bucks the whole bedtime or sleeping in her room but I've usually got her wore down by at least 9:30 now and this is PROGRESS.
(Fonzie says haaaaaaaaayyy, two thumbs up to that, Hez)
By doing these four small things my life has changed in ways I can't even begin to describe, but let me explain.
No, wait, let me sum up. (Another pop-culture reference. Twenty points to Gryffindor if you can name where this is from)
After these folks are in bed, I've got some me time that has nothing to do with laundry or cleaning or arguing or anything but whatever I wanna fill it up with. If I wanna waste an hour and play Zuma Blitz, I can. If I wanna read on the Kindle, I can.
So, Heather, you're thinking, why the Marvin the Martian cartoon up top, right? Well, I think there oughta be some sorta cheering section/gold star allotment/earth shattering KABOOM that I've finally figured this out.
Obviously, I'm a special snowflake that needs positive reinforcement.
(I'll just assume that y'all are rolling your eyes right now while whispering 'bless her heart'.)
I know that a lot of folks have figured this out some time ago and that I'm not winning any trophies or awards for getting my shizz together, but I can honestly say that it feels damned good.
Now, check back with me in two weeks to see if I'm curled up in the fetal position somewhere surrounded by sandwich wrappers and laundry up to my eyeballs.
Okay, pals, your turn. What're you doing right now? Working on those resolutions? Snowshoeing? Snow skiing? Watching ball games? What're you doing with your wintertime?
Let me 'splain = Princess Bride, yay!
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAH Yes, it does! Twenty points to Gryffindor! Well done. ;)
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