Tuesday, August 08, 2017

Time to plan

I'm having the hardest time with feeling scattered, unfocused and distracted lately!  While I would definitely not say I'm living in survival mode anymore (thank you, Jesus!!), I'm not thriving as I would like.  I'm well aware this is a "me" problem and I can't blame it on anyone else, but I've been trying to figure out why I seem to be struggling so much more than I used to.  There are several conclusions I've come to, but one thing is that the last time I had a toddler, I only had to homeschool (and think about/plan school for) one older child.  Big difference, right there.  While we've taken most of the summer off from school, it is never far from my mind, as I work on planning for next year, and it gets more challenging as the kids get older.

Another thing (brutal honesty here) is that I get way too sidetracked by social media and that can become a huge time-waster for me.  I know I'm not the only person who struggles with this, but all the same, I think it may be time for another Facebook fast!

I also get sidetracked in general very easily.  Whether it's a kid interruption, or noticing another chore that needs my attention (and thus forgetting to finish the chore I was already working on), I tend to lose focus and get distracted from my purpose.

And here's the thing: there are all kinds of time management tools and classes and seminars, etc. available online, but then I run into the problem of actually finding uninterrupted time to read the articles and attend the classes.  I am struggling with finding time to sit down (in a quiet place) and make a good game plan for school, for the same reason.  But....it's time.  Time to figure out a good way to plan a time to...PLAN!

Here are some things I need to focus on planning:

  • Menus (weekly or biweekly)
  • School terms and a yearly big picture
  • Habits (for health and fitness, housekeeping, etc.)
  • Chores and routines for the kids
On the plus side, I'm happy to say that my Happy Planner is still being used weekly, and almost daily, and I'm still finding that super helpful for the daily to-do's.  It's just the broader scope of things that I'm having more trouble with.  And while I've greatly enjoyed the flexibility and downtime of the summer, the part of me that loves and craves routine is looking forward to the fall and having more of a schedule.  But we still need to fit in a bit more adventure to our summer before it's over!

Anyway, please bear with me on this very rambling, thinking out loud post.  Sometimes it helps me to get things out of my head and onto "paper" (or screen), and this need of finding time to plan has been much on my mind lately.  I'd love to hear any tips you may have on planning, staying focused, organizing kids' chores, etc!  And I hope to put up a more interesting post in the next few days. 😊

4 comments:

Kathleen :-) said...

One of the most frustrating things is to 'want' to be organized, and to try so hard, only to feel like you still fall short, and I say that to encourage, and to tell you....that I think it's a continuing cycle of trying, revamping, and trying some more. Some days feel as if it's all falling apart, some days feel like...Wow, I think I might finally have this, all to soon feel like...Ahhh, what happened, again?!!!! We all have our ups and downs, and I too am trying to feel like life is 'organized'. It's a never ending desire, and goal. Keep up the great work! Every day, every week, every month, and year seems to be different, with different challenges and surprises in store!!!! Thank You for writing about your desire to plan, we're in it with you!!! :-)

Carrie said...

Thanks so much for your comment!! I love what you said about it being a continual cycle of trying, revamping, and trying some more. YES! That's exactly the season we are in. With a toddler thrown in too (and I know you can relate since your youngest is just a few years out of that stage), it seems like things are constantly changing. Just as soon as you have a routine of some kind in place, something changes again. I know it is a part of life, it's just challenging. :) I'm happy to say that I've had more time to plan since I posted this, and I'm feeling more confident about the upcoming school year. :)

Mrs.T said...

Ever since I read this, I've been trying to think about anything I might share along the lines of menu planning, scheduling, and so on. I hope to put a general post together about that, sometime soon. But in the meantime I am happy that you had such a productive brainstorming session and especially that you are feeling so much more confident. And that you have supportive, encouraging friends who know exactly what you're dealing with. I really appreciated what Kathleen said about every day, week, month and year being different, with all the various challenges and surprises thrown in.

Carrie said...

Thanks, Mom! :) I definitely look forward to reading your post...and you taught me well!!! I think I've just had trouble implementing things over the past few years since I've been more tired all the time and the distractions have been many. Looking forward to (hopefully) getting things on a better track soon!