He was referring to the task of implementing the Simplicity Parenting principles, but when you think about it, it's something you can apply to every day life. And so I've really taken it to heart. And it really does feel good to get easy things done - my to do list is shorter, and with a shorter to do list I don't feel quite so overwhelmed, and find it easier to get motivated to do the big things. And while I'm at it, I'm trying to declutter and simplify my life as much as possible.
Overwhelmed is going to be my life for the next few months - until boards are done in October, anyway. And by then I'll hopefully be pregnant and overwhelmed in a completely different way! I'm planning on starting to study in a few weeks, but right now I'm working on the decluttering and simplifying.
I've turned in all my stuff to my accountant for 2012's taxes (first time I haven't had to file an extension in a couple of years!) and used Heidi for her Excel skills to create a spread sheet for my medical expenses, so I can easily count those as a deduction next year. I have folders for all the other tax stuff for this year, too, and will put things in as they come up (deductions, expenses, etc). So next year all I have to do is pull out all my folders and send it all in. No fuss. That was easy, and it makes me feel good to know I've got a plan for next year.
I spent my free time this weekend cleaning up my house. Getting rid of piles of stuff, organizing papers, and moving some of Finn's toys out of the living room and into the guest bedroom. (Rather than getting rid of all his toys, I'm going to rotate them out, so he plays with all of them more.)
It's probably at work that I feel the most overwhelmed. I stay so far behind on all my paperwork, and every time I catch up, something happens and it throws me off track. I had unexpected free time at work today and instead of trying to do a few charts, I cleaned off my desk. Along with my piles of charts, I had piles of papers all over everywhere. I went through them all, trashed a bunch, and organized the rest. And now I have so much room to work in, I actually found myself being more productive the rest of the day. It's a good feeling.
The truth is, I'm still pretty disorganized. But I feel like it's more of an organized chaos, and not a free for all of madness like it was a few months ago.
This is what hit me a few days ago: this is the time in my life I have been looking forward to my entire life. And it's not going to last long. While it's not all slobbery kisses, silly giggles and bedtime snuggles, and even though sometimes it just really sucks, it's still pretty damn good. I do not want to look back 15 years from now and wish that I had enjoyed it more.
There are definitely times that are so hard that you just have to make it through. Teething, sleepless nights, sleep training, stomach bugs - there might be small moments of absolute joy in those days, but not many. But for every really crappy day, there are really good days. I don't want to waste those good days worrying if I'm studying enough to pass boards, or stressing about work, or feeling guilty for tasks that are long past overdue.
So I've got to get things done. I have to continue to try to go against my nature by being organized, being on top of things, and still finding time to stop and savor the joyful, fun and poignant moments when they happen. It's going to be a work in progress. I'm not sure what to call this work in progress, or what shape it's going to take going forward, but I'm sure I'll be sharing it with all of you! If anyone has any book suggestions, website suggestions or just helpful tips, I'm all ears. I might even come up with a name for this new life goal of mine. Hmmm...if anyone has suggestions for a name, please share that, too. :)
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And all this time, I thought I was being a procrastinator by putting off the big things and doing the easy ones first. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you get caught up soon. I am feeling overwhelmed here too.
I also want to parent each day in a way I won't regret when looking back. And some days (like those you listed) that's easier said than done.
Ah! You just reminded me that it's tax time. Better look for all my paperwork. See. Another procrastinator.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've made great organizational progress!! There is a fabulous article in last months Today's Parent (I think it's Canadian but could scan to you if you're interested) about getting organized & taking small steps to get there. Good luck keeping to great momentum going
ReplyDelete"This is what hit me a few days ago: this is the time in my life I have been looking forward to my entire life. And it's not going to last long."
ReplyDeleteI have this same thought but not often enough. Thanks for the reminder :)
Yes to all of this! I've found the "do the small stuff first" rule enormously helpful, especially in my business where sometimes there are so many tasks to do I just get paralyzed and do nothing.
ReplyDeleteAnother important rule if organization that changed my life is "everything goes back in its place". It's very tempting, especially after a long day out, to just dump everything in a pile and get on with dinner, etc. But now I deposit B in the playpen and put everything away first - jacket hung up, keys go here, purse goes here, sunglasses here, purchases put away, shopping bags go away. I used to dump my clothes on a chair every night so by the end if the week I'd have a pile of wrinkled clothes to sort through - no more. It's impossible to feel productive or relaxed in a place that's full of half-finished tasks; you can never find anything, and it clutters your mind. It's more work to put everything away all of the time, but in the long run it makes things much easier.
For example when I had my SMC group over Sunday I normally would have had to spend the whole day before tidying up (cleaning lady notwithstanding), but because everything was already put away all I had to do was move some chairs and I was done. It's really a life changer!
In the midst of my terrible head cold, I hope I can hold onto some of the wisdom you've imparted here...start the easy tasks first and enjoy every moment before they slip away.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, Shannon, I just LOVE the third to last paragraph, the one that starts with "This is what hit me..."! It's so perfect. I need to remember to stop and smell the roses, because they're in perfect bloom right now! Thank you for the reminder that this really is the time of my life I've been waiting for. Good luck with the organizing - I need to do a whole bunch of that myself! Excellent procrastinator here...
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