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In the last couple of weeks, I’ve felt like a huge procrastinator.
I am going to cut me some slack right here, because after all I’ve been semi-sick for the last 8 days (sick enough to feel crappy and exhausted, but not sick enough to stay at home and really take some time to recuperate), but remember, I am an adult and responsibilities don’t go away just because I am sick.
I feel like I am literally behind on everything. The apartment is a mess. The kitchen floor needs to be mopped bad, the apartment has to be vacuumed (hello dust-bunnies!), there are papers to be filed and claims to be submitted (remember the time when I got stuck in London?), I have some letters to reply to and birthday cards to send out. If I owe you an email – please be patient, I’ll get to it.
As you might now, I am a list maker. So, it’s not like I don’t have all these things written down. Having a list usually makes me stick to my list, but as of late, it’s not working. What good does a list do, if I don’t check things off that list?
In my defense, I managed to go grocery shopping and do the laundry last weekend. (The bare minimum will always get done!) I even printed out claim forms and receipts and sorted some papers, but most of the time I found myself curled up on the couch under a big warm blanket, that I’d have gladly just pulled over my head for the rest of the day, just thinking how much I had to do, but unable to get anything done. The silver lining: I used the time (that I don’t have) to watch some mindless TV (I think, three chick flicks total) and that was lovely and relaxing (maybe just what I needed?).
I think, it might be what we call “Frühjahrsmüdigkeit” (spring time lethargy) in German. The only problem with my theory is: it’s not even spring yet!
How do you motivate yourself when you’re not motivated?
I decided that I’ll take 5 minutes tonight …
- to pick up five things and put them where they belong.
- to empty the bathroom garbage bin.
- to sweep the kitchen.
- answer three pressing emails.
- throw out three old items from the refrigerator.
I know these are only little things (that aren’t even all on my list), but it’s a start and I know it’ll make me feel better.
Which 5 things could you take care of when you get home tonight?
Fabulous
January 25, 2011 at 10:29 amSounds crazy busy. Can’t husband chip in with kitchen floors, laundry, groceries and such? :)
.-= Fabulous blogged this: Protected- Something I have never done =-.
evi
January 25, 2011 at 11:17 amyou know what ? all good work is done the way ants do things, little by little :-)
Chrissy
January 25, 2011 at 11:42 amI am the same right now…having the stomach flu plus a sick daughter isn’t gonna help…I did manage to clean the kitty litter and do the laundry…but that’s about it!
Good luck with your goals and get better hun!
Hugs xxx
Holly
January 25, 2011 at 11:49 amGood luck with your 5 things! I’m home all day with Topher but I never manage to get everything on my list done. Tonight I’d like to take 5 minutes to clean off the kitchen table. It’s so full of papers that we don’t even eat there anymore. If I can get that done, I’ll be happy :D
Maribeth
January 25, 2011 at 12:04 pmI sat down and wrote 5 checks today. I filed 3 items. I make our dinner in a few minutes, and then pop it in the oven at 5 to cook, and have walked all four dogs.
No, I am not energetic. I just knew I had to do it.
Jen
January 25, 2011 at 12:32 pmI got back and was so motivated and on it, it was surprising. But now, 4 weeks into it, I’m feeling less motivated and kind of falling in a rut. I decided I’ll make some chili this week/weekend and bring some for lunch to work, to change things a bit I guess. We’ll see, I need to make it to the supermarket first, but that’s on my list for tomorrow ;)
.-= Jen blogged this: Wouldn’t it be grand =-.
Irene
January 25, 2011 at 12:48 pmI hear ya and you are not alone!
I am not the list maker (I mean not the regularly make list for everything type, I do make grocery lists or lists what to pack for vacation) but if I would make a list for everything that needs to be done right now it would be HUGE.
We moved to the new house on Nov. 27, 2010 and there are still unpacked boxes, the office room is a mess and every day there is stuff added up to it like dishes, laundry, trash, dirty floors or kids toys all over the place. We had my In-laws here last weekend for my and Jennys birthday plus friends for brunch which created a huge mess in the kitchen. I have a birthday party for her next weekend and want the house to be clean for it. I should clean, go shopping, organize stuff and more but all I did today was sit on the couch…not very productive and I have the feeling tomorrow won’t be any better… *sigh* I blame it on the weather, it started snowing again today (which turned into slush soon) and it’s icky and grey outside, really depressing!
Manderz
January 25, 2011 at 1:05 pmI’ve been trying to spend 5-15 minutes a day being productive around the house in some way. And little by little things are getting done. You’ll get there too.
Tonight I intend to:
1) Unload the dishwasher
2) Throw on a load of laundry
3) Walk my dogs
4) Have a nap
5) Paint my nails
Jessi
January 25, 2011 at 2:01 pmFrühjahrsmüdigkeit? Sounds more like Winterschlaf ;-)
And I hear you on the procrastination issue…
Kat
January 25, 2011 at 2:02 pmHa, “Frühjahrsmüdigkeit”! EXACTLY! I have the same problem, I think… I feel like it takes so much effort to do the most simple, day-to-day things like really actually clean the apartment or get stamps or take the trash out back. And I feel ridiculous because I have that huge list of things to do and I liked making the list and I felt so industrious and organized making the list… But then my enthusiasm sort of just died off quickly. ;)
I like your approach of doing 5 small things a night, I should really try that…
Claire
January 25, 2011 at 3:12 pmi cannot believe u are going to see Geoff Dunham!! im so jealous!!!!
i like your approach.. i should be doing three small things. I havent done anything tonight.. i got too distracted looking at dresses and watching csi!
.-= Claire blogged this: Shop Updates Etsy- Ebay- Folksy and DaWanda =-.
Stefanie
January 25, 2011 at 5:45 pmI’m home all day as you know. :) Collin loves it because he never has to do anything. I do make him take out the trash, load the dishwasher and make the bed. As long as I clean the bathrooms he is cool with doing everything else.
.-= Stefanie blogged this: The first of the last =-.
mandy
January 25, 2011 at 6:43 pmProcrastination and I are very close friends. Definitely cut yourself some slack and chock it up to winter. I like the idea of taking 5 minutes to accomplish a few key things. I need to implement this.
Amber
January 25, 2011 at 10:20 pmI’m sorry your still sick! I hope you feel better. I know how quickly things can start to feel overwhelming ( and I don’t even have kids ). I am not suffering from any sickness but I am definitely feeling the same lack of motivation. Your list looks a lot like mine lol
Everyone needs a little mindless TV and chick-flicks sometimes :)
.-= Amber blogged this: Logos and Dreams =-.
Ashley
January 25, 2011 at 10:50 pmI hope you got some things crossed off your list tonight!
ilka
January 26, 2011 at 4:13 amsweetie i know there are tons of things you’re having to do. but let your hubby at least do something that is hard for you since your sick. and don’t stress out because you are behind. do the important stuff. like papers that have to be submitted. get well soon.
kim
January 26, 2011 at 4:34 ami feel you. even though i’m not sick. this is one of those weeks where i made plans almost every night = should have known that’s not a good idea. so tonight i actually have spanish and won’t be home until after 8 pm. but then i intend to:
craft, write and send a card to a highschool friend who’s in the middle of chemo and battling a pretty horrible cancer right now. i’ve been putting it off, and tonight i will make time to do it.
that’s all. but enough for me tonight.
i hope you feel better, suesse! HDGGGDL!
.-= kim blogged this: i did it =-.
lauryn
January 26, 2011 at 8:12 amHey, I think that list you made is completely reasonable, especially if you’ve been sick! Sometimes it’s the little things that count. Plus, I’m sure you’ll have your energy back in no time and you’ll demolish that to-do list!
.-= lauryn blogged this: 20 Minutes Straight =-.
emmysuh
January 26, 2011 at 9:02 amI try and do little bits of tidying every day, but, yes, like you, I had a JUST FIVE MINUTES talk with myself yesterday — my thing was our shower, which has a faulty drain so it gets schmutzig really quickly. Every time I showered, I was like, “Ew! Must clean!” but I kept putting it off because I HATE shower cleaning — so yesterday, I was like, FIVE MINUTES of scrubbing. Just five, and it’ll be better than it was.
So now that that (and the toilets) are cleaned, tonight’s goal will be catching up on the few dishes in the sink and starting laundry. Not too bad! My next big project will be mopping…sigh. Not AS bad as the shower but still!
terra
January 26, 2011 at 3:30 pmI love the idea of picking just a few simple tasks to check off. The feeling of getting something done – even if it’s a little thing – and the feeling of marking things off is amazing, regardless of the size of the task.
ute
January 26, 2011 at 5:06 pmHaha. hey it’s ok! I so hear ya! :) I hope you got something done from your list tonight! hahahah. Cute!!!!!
olivia
January 27, 2011 at 6:38 amI have so many chores that I have been slacking on and I don’t even have the excuse of being sick.
Grace
February 20, 2011 at 11:42 pmLittle lists make such a big difference. I realized that it only takes about 20 minutes to clean my apartment and if I just take the time to clean for 5-10 minutes when I get home things will always be in good shape. It seems like a bigger chore when there are dishes and laundry thrown about, but it’s not bad when I put my mind to it.