How I Plan My Week

Filling out my planner every week is for sure one of my favorite activities.  I love sitting down at my desk with my favorite drink to write out all the things that I want to accomplish in the next 7 days.  But planning is for sure the easy part.  It's a whole other thing to get myself to accomplish all (or most) of those things throughout each day.  But I love the direction that it gives my days and helps keep me going.  Especially since a lot of my days are pretty wide-open as a stay-at-home/part-time-work-at-home mom.

So, lets get into it!

1. Make a latte.  Hot latte with my homemade caramel simple syrup.

2. Gather my tools.  That includes planner and stickers, pen, and phone.

3. Sit down at my desk.  Sometimes I sit at our kitchen island or on the couch beside my husband while he watches something sports-related on his phone. Lately I've been doing it at my desk and it's fun for something different.

4. Write down weekly rhythms and any events or appointments that are already set.  I almost always do laundry and my weekly cleaning on Mondays so I try not to schedule anything else that day. And during the school year we usually go to the library on Thursday mornings for storytime and I currently work at the office every other Friday morning.  So those are often the few things in our week that are on a set schedule.  I also like to include my husbands plans, meetings, etc. because it can effect if I have extra free time in the evenings or not.

5. Check the weather. I like to see what the forecast is for the week because (in the summer anyway) I let that dictate what day I'll be doing any amount of baking or other cooking if it's going to be a hot week.  And it also helps me decide which day to do errands in town or spend time outside.

6. Decide what to do on leftover free days.  There is usually at least one free day in our week so I try to schedule a play date or go to a park and do something extra fun and special.  I don't always have a good plan for what to do on the extra free days in my week and I want to do better at being intentional in spending it wisely!  Like going to visit someone or do something meaningful.  -- I certainly feel like I have more margin in my days right now to do extra things so I want to be wise with that.

7. Look at my planner every day and check things off!  I keep my planner in the junk drawer in our kitchen (and sometimes right out on the counter) so that it's easy for me to look at as I go about my day and remind myself what I should be doing. 

8. Meal plan.  I like to meal plan after I've done my weekly planning because then I have a pretty good idea of what kind of meals will suit better on certain days or what I want to cook according to our plans or the weather. 

How about you, do you plan your days every week or each day? Do you love it? Hate it? Or not plan at all and fly by the seat of your pants? :)

A Little Resurrection of the Blog and Soul

Hello, world!  6 years later and I am back to say hey.

Sometimes you run off for a while in search of bigger, better things only to come back to the good old faithful blog many years later.

The only thing that has visibly changed in all these years is that I'm now a mom to two wonderful little ladies. I still live in the same house, have the same job, and go to the same church. The biggest changes in my life have happened beneath the surface, in my heart and mind, through situations and experiences that have torn me down and built me back up.

Life is weird like that; we can interact with people all the time and still not have a clue about the war going on inside of them. It's comforting but also unsettling. When you're the one facing an inner battle you can choose to just let safe and helpful people in to walk along side you, but you can also be completely oblivious to someone else's silent struggle.

If you can identify with that, just know that it's okay. Not everyone needs to know what you're going through. (It's okay to disappear for a while and you don't have to explain why.) You may have to let go of and grieve the loss of your dreams. But let the death of your old dreams be the fertilizer that will cultivate the growth of new, better dreams.

The hard times won't last forever and someday you'll be able to look back and see the abundant harvest of character and wisdom that you gained through it. And not be mad about it.

Life is both complicated and wonderful and the only thing that makes sense sometimes is to say that we weren't meant to understand all the whys and what ifs of life. Sometimes it just is what it is but for sure everything we face is meant to draw us closer to God and make us more useful for His kingdom and His purpose.

Tips for Getting Things Done

I'm as good of a procrastinator as the next person, but I also hate the feeling of putting things off for too long. And of course nothing feels better than checking something off your list that's been on there for a long time. I often, if only for a brief moment, feel pretty confident I could conquer the world after such times. :D

I work full time, most of which is from my home office. It's both a luxury and not at the same time. Because sometimes it's easier to do housework than paperwork and vice versa, and distractions are often plentiful. I've found that making separate lists for work and home has really helped me in prioritizing what to do and when. And it's a lot easier to focus on what I'm doing when I'm not trying to remember everything else I have to do in the back of my head.

So if you're thinking of things you need to do while reading this, stop right now and write them down. 

Here are my favorite list-keeping tips:

1. Set a goal/deadline. It's easier to get things done if you give yourself a deadline. Even if it's one you just make up for no reason it will help motivate you to get things done. Or aim for a certain number of tasks a day. Whatever motivates you most.

2. Check things off as you go.  This helps me keep momentum. If I finish one thing I'm more likely to do another, and maybe even another. Sometimes finishing one small task and checking it off your list is all the confidence you need to tackle something more difficult.

3. Reward yourself.  (The main reason I like to finish my to-do list in the first place. :D) I usually reward myself with some quiet time reading a new book or sipping a latte while I catch up on my favorite blogs. Or go on a walk. Whatever you like to do, make yourself finish some tasks before you indulge.

So, go and be productive! :)