I love days that run smoothly. Checking items off a to-do list gives me a surge of excitement. I also love clean, organized things. Especially if those things are in my own home! I get so much more done, and feel happier doing it, when my house is orderly. That's why this drawer fills my heart with joy:
On the other hand, I can't handle disorderly, unkempt things in my home. Or days that seem full of potholes and speed bumps. Or tasks that remain on my mental to-do list longer than I feel is appropriate. I procrastinate when things are waiting to be done for a long time, or seem hopeless. This dining room cupboard makes me feel unnerved:
I've organized it three times in the past four years, but it always becomes a pit of disarray! Nothing's even right side up anymore. All my neat stacks and rows crumbled into each other. Last year we decided to build new cabinets there, so we can store the less-used kitchen/dining items on nice shelves. Until then, I'll send the kids to fetch things from this one, because I hate opening it.
Lately I've discovered certain things that make my days more likely to be smooth and easy. One is meal planning. Four years ago, a friend told me she saved money doing it, and that it made her evenings easier. Skepticism clouded my view for at least a year. I saw her gliding through it, but doubted that I'd like it. What if the plan called for something that took lots of energy to make, and I felt too tired that day? What if a kid got sick and I didn't have time to make the meal?
Finally, I gave it a whirl. It revolutionized my life! Every day, I knew what I'd make for dinner. I even knew what I'd make in three weeks and two days! (Baked potato night.) I always had the ingredients I needed. The kids' bewitching hour was less formidable because I wasn't stressed or preoccupied. When the day called fore something more labor-intensive like chicken cacciatore, I saved my energy for it and got the kids busy with a good craft or game as I started. Yes, sometimes a cranky kid fell on my feet as I stirred and chopped, wailing about her tribulations. On rare occasions, the day threw me into a huge pothole and by the time I got out I had to rush to make the dinner I'd planned. But 99.5% of the time, meal planning made my life simpler. I even started planning our breakfasts in February!
Next came a cleaning schedule. A few months ago, I came across the idea in an article. Then a few friends mentioned trying them. Someone at church said she's used one for years, and loves it. The same skepticism made me hesitant, but I decided to try it. If meal planning made life simpler, maybe this would too. I could always stop if it was too hard. I worried that I'd be burdened by the weight of mandatory chores, when little kids make life unpredictable. What if we go out for the day and I can't do those chores? What if they're too much, and I don't get other things done?
Again, life was greatly improved by this schedule! By the end of the first week, I was already singing its praises. I felt immense satisfaction as I completed the day's chores. A benefit I never anticipated was that those chores are my only cleaning tasks for the day -- if the sink looks gritty or the floors are dusty, I can leave them for their scheduled day without any guilt! Why didn't I try this years ago?! I don't carry and endless list in my mind of things I should be cleaning now, because I have a list on the wall and I can see the few, manageable things I need to do. The rest doesn't matter at all!
Lately I've discovered certain things that make my days more likely to be smooth and easy. One is meal planning. Four years ago, a friend told me she saved money doing it, and that it made her evenings easier. Skepticism clouded my view for at least a year. I saw her gliding through it, but doubted that I'd like it. What if the plan called for something that took lots of energy to make, and I felt too tired that day? What if a kid got sick and I didn't have time to make the meal?
Finally, I gave it a whirl. It revolutionized my life! Every day, I knew what I'd make for dinner. I even knew what I'd make in three weeks and two days! (Baked potato night.) I always had the ingredients I needed. The kids' bewitching hour was less formidable because I wasn't stressed or preoccupied. When the day called fore something more labor-intensive like chicken cacciatore, I saved my energy for it and got the kids busy with a good craft or game as I started. Yes, sometimes a cranky kid fell on my feet as I stirred and chopped, wailing about her tribulations. On rare occasions, the day threw me into a huge pothole and by the time I got out I had to rush to make the dinner I'd planned. But 99.5% of the time, meal planning made my life simpler. I even started planning our breakfasts in February!
Next came a cleaning schedule. A few months ago, I came across the idea in an article. Then a few friends mentioned trying them. Someone at church said she's used one for years, and loves it. The same skepticism made me hesitant, but I decided to try it. If meal planning made life simpler, maybe this would too. I could always stop if it was too hard. I worried that I'd be burdened by the weight of mandatory chores, when little kids make life unpredictable. What if we go out for the day and I can't do those chores? What if they're too much, and I don't get other things done?
Again, life was greatly improved by this schedule! By the end of the first week, I was already singing its praises. I felt immense satisfaction as I completed the day's chores. A benefit I never anticipated was that those chores are my only cleaning tasks for the day -- if the sink looks gritty or the floors are dusty, I can leave them for their scheduled day without any guilt! Why didn't I try this years ago?! I don't carry and endless list in my mind of things I should be cleaning now, because I have a list on the wall and I can see the few, manageable things I need to do. The rest doesn't matter at all!
How does this relate to motivation? I realize now, in hindsight, that I've been motivating myself to be more productive and to have a better mindset. I love to be on time, and I especially enjoy being early. Appointments, college papers, church -- I prepare in advance to make sure I'm on time, and being early feels like a big bonus. Recently, I was excited when I did one of the next day's chores a day early. Later, it hit me that it's the same feeling I get when we pull into the doctor's parking lot with a few minutes to spare. Cleaning the kitchen sink becomes a source of excitement rather than drudgery when it's done early! This schedule caters to my love of crossing off completed tasks, and makes my house stay cleaner and more organized. Meal planning touches on the same things.
Now that I see how powerful motivation is in making my life simpler and easier, I want to figure out how to find the right motivation "keys" for my kids. They probably have different ones than I do, and I never gave it any conscious thought until now. I can see the potential here for a winning answer to Anna's nail biting and Asher's self-control. I've been motivating them in different ways their entire lives, but now I'm starting to really focus on their styles.
Now that I see how powerful motivation is in making my life simpler and easier, I want to figure out how to find the right motivation "keys" for my kids. They probably have different ones than I do, and I never gave it any conscious thought until now. I can see the potential here for a winning answer to Anna's nail biting and Asher's self-control. I've been motivating them in different ways their entire lives, but now I'm starting to really focus on their styles.