A 15 Minute Day

Today I am having a 15 minute day.

It's one of Those Days where the to do list is long and the hours are short. A day when things just don't seem to be happening.

I learned about this type of productivity when I was in college. A dear professor (the Jewish one whom I tried to sell a Christmas wreath and other such foolish things) explained that he had a short attention span and when he was working at home (re grading our papers). He would sit and work for 30 minutes then get up and rake leaves, then back to his work, then walking the dog etc. etc.

I thought he was crazy at the time...until I met FlyLady.

FlyLady taught me that I have an even shorted attention span than my dear professor. I can't try and not accomplish much in a day, but boy howdy I can do ANYTHING for 15 minutes.

Well....she was right. And today is one of those days.

Each day I try to make a list of things that need to be done around the house that day as well as office type work. When we get each one done we wipe it off. This way we have a sense of accomplishment and know what comes next.

Today I need to get my Bible study done for CBS tomorrow, help the children with their schoolwork, do laundry, iron (only 15 minutes...it's a mountain I will climb 15 minutes at a time), fill out some paperwork, do some deep cleaning in the living room etc etc.

This morning was pretty much a loss for getting the list gone through as most of us were out of the house. But after lunch was cleaned up, I sat the kids to work at the table while I worked.

I set the timer for 15 minutes and sat to do my Bible study. It helped that the little ones were napping. When my time was up I decluttered, dusted and Windexed a two cabinets in the livingroom. If I had to leave the room and a kid needed me he/she followed me to get the help.

One load to go for laundry, four shirts ironed, livingroom mission done, school work going, Bible study done, sink shined.

Now it is time to start afternoon chores before dinner.

Guess how I spent this 15 minutes?

How To Make an Easy Ten Bucks

It's simple really.

Step 1: Have boys. Over the age of 5 would be appropriate. That's when they start getting the big bucks for allowance.

Step 2: Give them clothes. Preferably socks and underwear, though pants and shirts will sometimes do.

Step 3: Show them where above said clothes go and then Walk Away.

Step 4: Walk back...after an hour or a day or a week, it's up to you.

Step 5: Fetch above said clothes from the nook and crannies of their bedroom. Toy box, junk drawer, backpack, pillowcase. Don't bother fetching from their drawers, they aren't there.

Step 6: Count em up! Pairs of socks count as two. Doesn't matter whose shirt belongs to whom. Twenty items is an easy $5. Multiply that x2 or more boys.....x4 boys....ya now we're in business.

Step 7: Pay up. Each item is worth .25 cents. They get allowance....you know where it's at.

Step 8: Splurge. Go to the coffe shop and buy a nice, overpriced, iced latte!

Repeat as often as they leave clothes out or until the Get It. When they run out of money they can owe you by working it off.

Folding laundry and putting it away seems an appropriate job.

And when THEY get it, you can start on the girls!

Sometimes A Person Comes To Their Senses....

NYRs #3 and 4

#3 Watch less tv. It's not that I (we) watch a lot. It's just that recently we have been watching a lot. We tend to spend far too many hours in front of the tv when I am sick... more so than when Dad is sick hmmm.

The kids do better when they watch less, of course. Movie night is Friday night with the kids. We make popcorn and Orange Juliuses or Magic Milkshakes.

Saturday Night is spa/chickflick night. Both nights are movable to accommodate events that happen on Fri and Sat nights.

I usually watch an hour then head to bed. Basically I watch the shows I have taped. (Love DVR). And I like to watch tv when I knit or do other projects. I just want to have other options for my evening than watching tv.

So..here is a list of what to do after the kids are in bed:
Listen to a book on CD (and knit)
Read my Bible.....do CBS study and Martha Peace study
Study Esther with my oldest two daughters (then we can watch the movie lol)
Read...in a chair...not in bed and then fall asleep.
Blog
Read blogs
Facebook :D
Exercise
Sewing room (when the weather gets warmer)
Coupon stuff
Office type stuff
Get laundry done the night before
Clear off my computer to get ready for a system restore.
Cha Cha
Go to bed early
play cribbage with my daughter
Play other games
bake
NOT clean :D

Mind you, if "I" don't watch tv, then the OTHER TWO (dd and dh) do not watch either. They will have to make their own list.

I think, however, since my dh is only home for a few nights out of the week, he can dictate what he wants to do in the evenings, though I hope it's not watch tv.



NYR #4 Fifty Six Days