Family Briefs

I think I have come down with a case of ADD. My husband thinks I just multi-task too much. Maybe both of us are right. I get bored with tasks and move on to something else - leaving things half done in my wake. My brain will be brimming with ideas (not the something that I’m working on), and I go flitting off to work on something that appears more fun in the moment - only to bore of that project and move on to something else (leaving yet another half-finished project in my husband’s way). Sounds like a couple of children I know and love . . .

Well, this has been going on for a while. I have SO many things that I’d like to work on, but I never have enough time (or the attention span) to complete anything. Quite honestly, I often don’t spend my time very wisely (much like our money ). I get sucked into the computer - checking out a sales ad that I received in my inbox, following a trail of information about bike racks for the van, reading blogs, writing blogs - the computer is my black hole!

At some point, I have to stop spinning out of control - like the unbalanced washing machine, making it’s way across the garage just to the point where the cord is about to pop out of the outlet! Since I’ve thought of a few ideas on how to get some control, I might as well start putting some of those into practice.

To help me gain some control this week, I’m going to make a chart of all the big projects that I’d like to be working on. There will be a column for each day of the week, and a row for each project. Then, as I go through the week, I can check off which projects I’ve worked on and easily see which ones I’m neglecting. That might also give me a “menu” from which me and my ADD self can choose something that sounds fun and exciting (at least for the moment).

I’m also going to work on leaving fewer things in “mid-project”. That may mean not starting something if I don’t have time to finish it or get to a good stopping point (or a point where I’m not leaving a mess that ultimately one of my children will make into a bigger mess). This will probably be my biggest challenge this week (at least I hope it is).

In addition to these ideas, I think I’ll also try to be more intentional with my computer time. Instead of coming when the computer calls out to me, I’m only going to go to it when I have something I need to do. I may also need to try setting a timer - otherwise, I’m afraid the laundry won’t get done .

My original S.M.A.R.T. habit was to declutter some area of the house every week. Well, I know y’all are tired of hearing about my closet, but I don’t know what to tell you - it was BAD! It’s getting better . . . but I still don’t have any after pictures for you. Sorry ! I just didn’t realize when I started this project that it was going to take 429 baby steps! This week I did manage to get rid of several vests from the ’90s and some shirts that made me look pregnant (I’m NOT).

To help with my short attention span (and lack of time and emotional capacity for ill-fitting clothes), I’ve been trying to wear some of the “unworn” clothes in the closet and make day-to-day decisions on whether to keep or toss a particular item. The project seems a little more manageable this way, and I’m still making progress (it’s just much S–L–O–W–E–R than I’d hoped ).

As I’ve been flitting from one project to the next, I have done some “light” decluttering. This has been fairly painless - I just pick something up I’m tired of or that’s broken (and waiting for me to fix it) and toss it in the donate bag or trash it (of course, when the kids aren’t looking). Quick and simple!

I only caught myself a couple of times this week trying to sit with my legs crossed. It’s getting easier and easier! Now, if I could just erase those varicose veins .

My new habit for this week is to keep our dining room clean - no toys, no piles of stuff on the buffet that need to be put away, no socks or shoes under the table, etc. We use our dining room for every meal, but I thought it would be an easy room to start trying to keep clean and clutter free. It’s already been de-cluttered, but I’d like to keep the chairs pushed up, the table and buffet wiped off, and the floor “stuff-free.” (I guess it doesn’t count if I just throw the stuff into the next room?).

Thanks for all of your encouragement - find others participating in S.M.A.R.T. Habit Saturday over at Lara’s place.