I’m slowly getting the hang of this organized thing. You know, a place for everything and everything in its place?
It’s hard.
I’m trying to make it easier…
One of the weekly tasks I assign myself is to take a half an hour on Sunday night when the Kid is asleep and think about my week to come. I look in my Moleskin book and go over the notes I’ve made, look at my calendar to see what’s coming up, and basically get my head around the shape of the week to come. I pay bills, set goals, and anticipate any snags in the week ahead.
Well, at least… that’s where I’d like to be with it. Slowly but surely, I am working on understanding not only where I am right now, but where I’m going and where I’ve been. Here are a few strategies I now use to keep me on track:
- I don’t assume I can remember something, anymore. I write it down
- I carry a little pocket-sized notebook with me everywhere
- I carry my Blackberry everywhere
- I write quick notes in my notebook, but if I have time, I put it right in the Blackberry
- Then I set alarms. I have three alarms spaced out throughout every day of the week reminding me to check my lists
- I repeat any and all appointments back to the people setting them up, and read directly from what I’ve written, not what I think I’ve written
- I don’t volunteer for much… I’m so busy, and so overwhelmed right now, that if someone wants a favor from me, they are going to have to keep in touch with me to get it.
- I have a hard time following up on things I said I’d do because of the way my brain works. I ask people to check back in with me in xx time. I don’t say I’ll call them.
Then I sip a cup of chamomile tea, make some lunch for the Kid’s lunchbox, and fall into bed.
What do you do to keep your week on track?
Check out the Flylady. I beleive the website is flylady.net.
She has been a life saver for this hectic solo mother. While I still have a ways to go her routines have helped us so much!
Her motto is “anything can be done in 15 minutes” and is big on building daily routines. They help for everything and can easily be adapted to fit anyones situation. She even has little daily “missions” for the kids to help teach them good habits and routines.