I am having SUCH a hard time settling into a routine this semester. I was pretty easy-going about it all through September, but now we are MID OCTOBER, and the semester is going to be over before I know it. AND! I have some time intensive meeting commitments coming up during prime work time, and UGH YOU GUYS. I do not have the luxury of settling in slowly, and yet. HERE WE ARE.
Does this ever happen to you?
Changing everyone's sheets is the canary in the coal mine for me. Like, when I don't have the sheet-changing schedule down yet, it's a sign that other areas of my life are not really squared away either.
Whatever it is, I am starting to get stressed about some long-term projects still hanging out there that I thought I would be farther along on. Bah humbug, for sure.
We have a fridge dry erase calendar that I update on Sunday, and this is helpful for seeing the week at a glance-- I wonder if I need to make a better effort to keep my own calendar current too. I have been defaulting to to-do's for each day in my Moleskine (which I love), but my weekly planner could probably do more for me, too. Our big kid commitments are standard week-to-week, but hockey varies, as does Harry's work schedule, the boys' high school club commitments, etc. Also! Ben is home 2 days for sure and sometimes one other day, but I never know when that day is on the table. And! I have some home or work flexibility, too, that I should/could be better about claiming at the beginning of the week. because if I want to stay home and bake stuff and do some leisurely work on Fridays, I should let myself know that on Sunday night. AND THEN I CAN FIGURE OUT WHEN TO CHANGE THE SHEETS, at least.
The big question is will I ever cut the shame spiral/procrastination step out of my work process? Because I think I could come up with better ways to fill my time, you know?
Dorothy’s friend gave Min a tiara and a couple of cool art books, and Minnie could not even come all the way inside the house before she started playing. I love her enthusiasm.
I need a new lipstick. Any colors or brands or textures you are loving lately? I have been using my lip mask and then forgetting to put any color on.
I'm sure there are people out there raking in huge salaries to manage calendars like your family's, Sarah. I hope you'll give yourself plenty of grace if you're late to Little Gym or a game. It's amazing and inspiring how much you enable your kids to live their best lives.
ReplyDeleteDo you use an online calendar in addition to the fridge calendar? Things like Ben's and big kids' schedules could transfer more promptly online, I think... IDK?
I'm loving the Wonderskin lip stain--it's not very moisturizing, but has a very natural tone and you can wear gloss or lipstick on top of it too.
We do use google calendar, too, but for some reason, the act of writing things down really helps me remember. Thanks for the rec-- I love a good lip stain!
DeleteWell you know my answer...wash sheets less frequently. I'm kidding because I know this works for you and it's hygienic, but getting to a once-monthly washing of sheets was a BIG deal for me (so that tells you that before it was MORE than a month between sheet washings)...
ReplyDeleteI feel you on craving routines. I start to go literally crazy over the summer without set schedules. I function so much better when I know what's coming next.
sheets are the worst. maybe I need to outsource them. But that won't solve my larger problem
DeleteSorry about your routine woes, hopefully you can settle in to it soon. I have a favourite lipstick right now, it's a Maybelline Ultimatte Slim Lipstick in Taupe. It's a perfect colour for me and it's not MATTE matte. Just not glossy, so it lasts a long time.
ReplyDeleteI just saw this at Walgreens! I didn't take the plunge because I didn't have any reviews, but I will try it for sure-- thanks!
DeleteI feel you on the lack of routine. Here, it's not sheets that are throwing me -- it's that we have a rotating cast of service people in and out and they all come between 8 and noon or ten and two and it feels like there's no way to plan anything. We also just shifted to a new music lessons/practice routine, which is throwing me off as well. Hopefully we will adjust to that fairly quickly though. I wish I were better about rolling with the punches, but instead I kind of flail around helplessly not knowing what to do. SIGH. I miss a routine!!!!
ReplyDeleteMinnie is so cute. I love that she had no idea how to handle being early.
I am for sure a flailer as well.
DeleteI like this lip tint bc I am not a very 'lipstick' person: https://thrivecausemetics.com/products/sheer-strength-hydrating-lip-tint
ReplyDeleteSimple whiteboard works for us. Sunday routine includes filling it out every week w all kid activities and any variations from normal routine (ie random appts etc). Dinners go on there too.
I admit to outsourcing my sheet-changing. But my canary in the coal mine is reading. If I stop reading something is really OFF (usually mood stress etc).
outsourcing sheets is a good idea. I need to make a major change before hockey season
DeleteI don't have a lot of "long range" type of projects in my line of work and I don't have much seasonality to my work, besides quarter end. But every quarter end I work on the same body of work and have checklists and such so that helps. And I lie and die by calendar reminders for things that are due on X day. I cannot rely on my brain - or my paper plan - to keep track of things like that. I have been making more to do lists lately and try to write something down as soon as I think about it/say I will do something. Because my short term recall is just totally shot!
ReplyDeletesame with the cal reminders, but I also need to-dos because I need all the short term memory help I can get!!
DeleteI just think you need to delegate. There's no reason the older kids aren't doing their own laundry. Full stop. Including sheets!
ReplyDeleteOur routine is changing up a bit, too, and I am struggling with how early to get up versus how early to go to bed. I think pretty soon my bedtime is going to be 8 since I have to get up so early, but that's not really sustainable since we frequently can't get dinner on the table until 6:30 or 7:00 and I get heartburn if don't have time to digest a bit before I go to bed. *sigh* Why didn't anyone tell me being an adult was so terrible?
You are probably right about the delegating.
DeleteOof, you have a lot to juggle for sure and I do hope that the older kids and your husband are helping. Why does the mental load have to fall on the woman/mom?
ReplyDeleteGoodness, you have a lot to keep track of. I feel so fortunate to work from home, so I can wash sheets any time I want to.
ReplyDeleteI use that lip mask too, and sometimes I remember to put on a lipstick, but not often. My friend uses a lip stain, which she says lasts a lot longer than a lipstick, but I haven't tried it yet.