Before we move into February, I decided to check in on my New Year’s resolutions. At least once I week, I still loose my keys, the dishes are piled up with spores growing in the sink, and I miss my hour of work out time. Let’s not even talk about how I manage my laundry, work, and my community projects. Without a great husband, a patient dog, children who text and Skype, and a hard working assistant, I would be found with the cell phone attached to my ear under a pile of dirty clothes.
So, with a head cold tapping me on the shoulder as a message to slow down, I got out another yellow pad ready to analyze once again how to manage time. Obvious, to me are the millions of applications on my iPhone from the calendar, which syncs with my husband and assistant’s phone, to LooseIt! ,where I count my calories and work out time. But none of those applications really DO the labor I need. Thus, here are my latest efforts to manage time and now include two jars on my desk.
1.) Have one place by the door you place your keys. One place for your purse. And once place you charge all space age electronics and plug them in when you walk in at night. De- board my car like an astronaut and plug in when I get home.
2.) Make the bed as soon as I get up. At least one thing will be already accomplished each morning.
3.) Start and finish one load a day of laundry and that is IT.
4.) Keep the dishwasher unloaded in the mornings, load all day and start at night. I know it sounds easy, but let’s be real; we’ve all had dirty dishes in the sink.
5.) Put up each item where it belongs the first time---easier said then done, but try.
6.) Utilize your jars.
What is the meaning of the jars? Well, I have one jar that one of my girls made for me. A glass cookie jar sits on my desk full of bright strips of papers folded up. Each holds a special prayer, quote, or bibles verses on each folded piece of paper. I take one out each day and meditate on it. I don’t get sucked into an hour of Facebook and I get a little motivation and prayer time all at the same time.
My second jar is new. I created a treat jar. Instead of feeling overwhelmed at many ugly tasks, or wanting a big reward for a goal achieved, I made fun things to reward myself that fit my budget. One may be a sea salt chocolate bar, or a cooking class in Atlanta, and a long hike or kayak day. The treats are meant to be scheduled rewards rather than over spending as a result of a goal meet or a tough day survived. Each treat is a reward, and not all necessarily have to be expensive. Time can be a luxury as well. Each treat serves as a reminder to slow down and enjoy life. With a planned life, rather than go and go life, I can feel satisfied or rewarded for a day or week’s worth of accomplishments. I’ll keep you posted on how this works. For now, I need to clean the kitchen.
Tricia Stearns is the market manager of the Peachtree City Farmers Market, ptcfarmersmarket.org, a Realtor with Prudential Georgia Realty and a mom of three grown daughters. You can read her blog at www.purpleokra.com. She can be reached at triciastearns@gmail.com.
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