Priorities

I've been thinking a lot lately about rearranging my priorities. I'm finding that I have more To Do's left on my list at the end of my days than I'm able to accomplish and that it's happening every day. There was a time when I was getting most things done and feeling fairly satisfied with a day's accomplishments, but not lately. Lately every day is a frustration for me, as I watch the hours pass and days go by getting seemingly very little done.

Why is this happening? I think it's due to a few factors:

The biggest is that Noah's naptime has shortened considerably within the last month or so. He used to take a consistent 3 to 3 1/2 hour nap Every Day. I could count on the hours from 1-4 or 1-4:30pm being child-free. That's a HUGE chunk of time to accomplish just about anything, so I would push all the neccessaries into that timeframe and I usually got it all done! However, I've noticed the last month or so that Noah has been waking up between 3 and 3:30pm, shortening his nap by up to an hour and a half! I thought this was a fluke at first, but I don't think so anymore. I think he's to the point that he doesn't need such a long nap. Two hours is about his norm now. All that to say that I've had at times more than an hour's worth of work piling up at the end of the day that just is Not Getting Done. And when that happens every day, it means the work rolls over in an out-of-control-snowball sort of way.

I've also added some new goals this year that I think would be good to include in my day; things such as reading more, couponing, trying to blog every day, and mandatory exercising. Not to mention some ongoing projects like overhauling my recipe collection, working over at the house at Cellar, card-making, drawing, baking, etc.

The combination of shorter nap + new goals = a frustrated me, and I've had to do some long hard thinking about how I can plan my day better so that more things fit. I have a feeling it will take more than a week's worth of tweaking, but hopefully soon I won't be as defeated by my To Do List at the end of the day.

And hopefully soon I can make this blog what it was intended to be; a daily journal chronicling the workings of God in my heart, the mundane or exciting events of daily life, and musings on marriage, motherhood and infertility. I feel like Anne of Green Gables when she said, "Oh if you only knew the things I want to say and don't..." I usually have 3 or 4 potential blog posts floating around in my head which never get posted.

Here's to new goals and rearranged priorities! And may the Lord grant me wisdom to know which things Must Stay and which things can go....

Comments

cj and family said…
Praying for you . . . I do understand. And I distinctly remember the frustration of that change from long naps to short naps (or even no "nap" at all--just "quiet time"!)!! Remember--your walk with God, your ministry to your husband, and your ministry as Mommy are #1,2,3. Everything else floats in somewhere under there. :o) But, just a suggestion, help Noah get involved with as many of the "house" chores as possible--laundry, sweeping, dishes, cleaning, dinner prep, etc. Sure, they'll take longer with him "helping," but he'll have a blast, it's good Mommy-Noah time, and after 20 minutes or so of "helping" he'll probably wander off to play for 20 minutes or so while you finish up the job. Plan on 10-15 minutes or so of focused "Noah" time in between chores (a book, blocks, cars, etc.) By involving him with the housework, you can use his nap time for computer/book related tasks that he can't be involved with. (Things like matching socks, carrying folded dishtowels to the drawer (1 at a time), loading silverware in the dishwasher, dusting with a wet rag, emptying (or at least carrying) the bathroom trashcan, etc. are all things he can do successfully--and praise him hugely for even the attempt--even if it means you refold your dish towels a couple hours later!!) :o) Happy Mommying! :o)
January 25, 2010 at 12:15 PM
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