Breaking My Own Rules – Mom-trepreneur’s in Time Out!

“Not a catastrophe -- just another tricky day.”

This is an expression my dad uses a lot to answer life’s adversities. The “tricky day” perspective can keep us from swirling the drain, but sometimes, enough tricky days in a row can lead to a downright catastrophe-- or at least what seems like one.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve let some things slide. It began with my work schedule getting shuffled. Losing a few hours here and there for doctor’s appointments, for medical self-advocacy, sick children, extinguishing personal fires, taking a much needed respite, etc.

The time spent in the office was scattered as well. I was changing focus, shifting gears, letting “home business” seep into “office business.” Then I stopped using my desk system and somehow, eventually started making multiple lists with duplicate items. This is an organized coach’s nightmare.

I had a revelation this morning. I went to my desk, which was embarrassingly covered in paper crap. As I sorted, I found 6 lists in varying degrees of completion, school announcements, the PTA notes, medical bills to fight and an overdue water bill (only technically 8 hrs overdue, but still.) So I ventured to the checkbook, and finding it void of checks, proceeded to the box of fresh books of checks to find that empty as well and then declared, “TIME OUT!”

While my single goal for the day was to get a long overdue Gem to my readers by day’s end, I had to stop the insanity. One habit broken had led to a domino effect of chaotic slide.

I’m sharing this with all of you so that you can be assured that routines and habits work. And, knowing that that do, we can find comfort in getting back into them when all hell’s broken loose at home and work.

I recovered my desk in 35 minutes. I looked a fast-forwarded movie, but I now have checks on the way, papers recycled/filed, two functional (*see below) lists – work and personal, a clean desktop and a paid water bill.

*I took all my lists, circled the unfinished items that mattered and wrote each item on a new list (done on an 8.5 x 3” scrap of recycled paper, you know the backs of all that wasted paper from school notes, I fold it in half twice for notes and grocery lists). Then I brain-dumped the rest of what’s keeping me scattered.

Follow up with new contacts, vacuum floors, wash the sinks, make Christmas giving list, search for gift items online, call church regarding coat donation location, finalize Thanksgiving menu, fight with insurance company. With my handy dandy scissors, I cut each item off the list. Now I could categorize. Today, I went simply, business, and personal. I could break it down all kinds of ways, really. Household, business, kids, night projects, personal care, time it takes to complete – it depends on the day.

Then I found some trusty rubber cement. (Instead of scraps of paper, you can use tiny sticky notes, whatever works.) I made a strip of that smelly stuff down the middle of a new scrap. I then spread all the scraps on my very clean desk and sorted them by personal and business, then prioritized, affixing the most important item to the top of each list and continuing down. Once an item is finished, I can rip it off and toss it. I can reorder and add if need be.

Lovely. I feel so much better after my time out (even if I am still dreading my fight with the insurance company!)

What habits need resurrecting in your house?

If you need a quick habit rescue, call me. The first person to call before December 1 gets a free ½ hour of coaching.