Between my daily chores I get a couple chunks of time where I can do what I want. For about 15 minutes.
I am pleased that each day I spend at least one of those chunks trying to tame or accept the chaos around me. In my first post I committed to writing 3 entries this week and to putting my shoes on every day. This post counts as my third this week (I like a Monday through Sunday week) and, despite one late morning, I have put my shoes on every day this week – YAY!!
In my previous post I mentioned that the next two chapters in the book I’m using (“Organize Now”) as a guide in my organizing journey are about taming your schedule/to do list and chore schedule. And those are two things that I am on top of. As an adult with (undiagnosed) ADH, I also consider myself OC (not D, because it’s not hurting my life at all to be a little hyper or obsessive), and I just can’t manage my responsibilities with out a good system.
SCHEDULE: Google Calendar all the way! It’s easy, accessible in so many ways and works with all my electronic tools. I also love that, by creating several calendars, I can easily search in the past or in the future for events. I was sick … when last year? Make “My Health” the only visible calendar and I can scroll back quickly. I started a calendar for my son the next day after he was born. And my husband has access to all of these calendars, too. Let’s look at yesterday’s picture from my tablet. In the lower right corner is a widget that shows my daily schedule. (Widgets are a big reason I prefer Android) which I look at and revise constantly through the day. My friends, family and coworkers know: if I don’t put it in my phone, it’s not getting done!
TO DO: Google again! I use the task list available on the pc, but use an app called Google Tasks Organizer on my phone and tablet because of their great widget. It’s one of the few that lets me check off completed items right there. That widget is in the lower left corner on my tablet.
CLEANING SCHEDULE: I had made one up years ago when I lived with two slobbish boys and it needed updating. For example, while I was content to vacuum the carpets once a week back then, I now live in a house where all the floors are wood and I have a baby with a lung disorder. With two indoor cats, I want to sweep every day. I had used Google’s spreadsheet to list out all the chores by room and then sorted them by how often I wanted them done. I still need to put them as recurring events in my “Daily” calendar, but I’m happy with my progress.
Next week, as inspired by I Heart Organizing and chapter 5 of “Organize Now”, I am working on downsizing and sorting my paperwork – especially all the information I’ve collected about and for my son! I think the hardest part will be how (if?) my husband wants to combine our finances and paperwork. We’ve maintained separate finances till now, but since I won’t be working next year, I’ll be relying on him.
So, here are three measurable goals for next week:
1) Robin’s paperwork (including comprehensive file, home information, and a small travelling packet)
2) Discuss combined finances with husband, set up bill processing
3) Go through filing cabinet, sort and dispose, use paperless options
And a fourth goal: blog about the three goals!