For most of my life I have adamantly opposed a set organizational scheme. I hate day planners (although did make a valiant effort in college.) I detest mornings. I loath routine. I avoid scheduling. I love the spontaneous, the free form, the flexible. Yet, with all the combined neurosis that make up my cognitive system, when things are left in free floating as they fit, and occur, and drift, seldom do things happen in a timely, orderly, or efficient manner.
Now, of course it is abjectly against my nature to do anything the easy, efficient way. My genetic capabilities just aren't naturally wired like that. No one in my Dad's lineage ever did anything easily or efficiently. So it is with a heavy disolate burdened heart that I realized today, in the midst of cramming the last of the "OH MY GOSH MY HOUSE IS FALLING APART" science project with my eldest daughter (the project was going to be done over spring break, until spring break became a combination of plague break and buying and installing new appliances - which are oh so shiny!), that I have committed myself to 31- 35 hours of outside the home (although some can be done from home) tasks.
Of course my blog is the first thing to hit the "WHERE DID MY TIME GO???" can. Sorry, all! It's not just you who suffer, but can you even imagine the state of my mind!?! I depend on getting the crap that lands here out so that I can function on all those other time sinks. Not to mention this is at least 50% of my adult conversations! (probably more like 90%, but I really don't have time to do the math right now, after all, if you check the time stamp it's already after 1am.) The next victim is my 10 minutes on Wednesday when I try to write a paragraph or two on my current story attempt. And I am almost up to a whole page!
It looks like my husband will now not only be a temporary house hound, hanging out all day with me and the little kids, but will be a more permanent working from home dad. I don't mind on many levels, because I married the guy to spend time with him, but - how do I say this nicely - he can't multi-task worth a darn, and if I touched my keyboard as much as he does, I could be clocking 60 hours a week on my job!!! Apparently, that's just the time he reloads his page, and he's not actually getting a chance to do anything. I still wonder if he's counting all his time correctly, but I've also seen how long it takes him to write a paragraph for a cover letter, so.....
Working from home with kids demands multitasking, it also demands having someone to watch the toddler who thinks it's absolutely hilarious to delete half my code every chance he gets, and someone that will listen when the older children want or need something, so that they aren't constantly getting between me and my keyboard (or him and his keyboard if he's actually working). So the long of it is, it's not working. So I am going to once again attempt to go back to the office during the day. I've actually been trying for the last two weeks, but it's not happening (partially because I've had a lingering cough for... well for forever and partially because I'm still not sleeping at night - and not just because I'm writing here either, since I don't edit, back-read, or proof this only takes 15 mins tops!).
So in addition to getting the laundry on schedule, and working more on the chore chart (laundry chart worked last week, but we are still playing catch up, especially with installing a new dishwasher mid-week) I will be scheduling out of the house time for my various volunteer and paid commitments. I hope to work at least half of my paid time outside of the house, but I need more cooperation from my son and my husband. If I can get one of them to start working with me, I'm sure the other will follow.
Now, I'm off to bed to find out what Harry is doing this evening. Oh you wouldn't know Harry, he's my own personal hero, he's a wizard crossed with a demigod who saves multiple realities from some of the fiercist strangest and most bizarre monsters and scenarios you've never even had the faintest concept of. Ah to be able to dream in movie! Maybe if I find time, I'll write up the stories, but I wouldn't hold your breath, the more I try to hold on, the more they break away.... kinda like that one flame monster that Harry was getting ready to battle after the incident with the basketball team....
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