Laura Vanderkam's new book came out yesterday, and I bought it because I like her writing even when I disagree with her. In it she's writing about insights gleaned from the lives of mothers who earn >$100K. While I'm not in her target demographic, I'm intrigued by what she has to say about the ways our culture gets it wrong on work-life balance. In case you couldn't tell from the tone of my last two posts, I have been battling a discouraging malaise. I have a zillion things to do and yet I am not sure where my days are going. The less I get done, the gloomier I feel; the gloomier I feel, the less I get done.
So! I decided to log my time this week. I have tried and failed to log my time before, but I think my days are less fragmented now that my kids are bigger. Insights from today:
- I think I'd like to use my mornings better. Earlier this spring, right after I wrote this post, I got into the habit of getting up and doing three newspaper puzzles in the morning. I had this aching need to find the Right Way, the Logical Solution, in a situation with puzzling tangles and distressing possibilities. It doesn't take me a long time to do the puzzles (Sudoku, Cryptoquip (she admits with a trace of embarrassment), KenKen), but perhaps I can do them after I've knocked some stuff off the list.
- Part of my cooking slump is that it takes time, more time than I like to think it does, to cook from scratch. Still, I think it's worth it. This is a golden opportunity for teaching the kids Life Skills and working together companionably. It is worth the hassle. I think I'm going to try a rough menu framework this summer and see if that eases the decision fatigue. (OH, such a first-world problem it is to feel overwhelmed by all the things one might feed one's family. EEK, this is rather an embarrassing post.)
- Our summer schedule is going to involve more driving than I like (today I logged a hundred minutes in the car; during the school year I might go a couple of days without setting foot in a vehicle). It can be a pleasant opportunity for conversation, but it's important to leave enough time for getting out the door so the tone is calm as we drive.
The #1 determinant of my state of mind and productivity continues to be adequate sleep. So off to bed with me!
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