Today I went fishing… for tools that is. I focused on food and time. You would think I would have had menus and time management down long before I embarked on such a huge transformation, but nope. And of course, I’m not waiting until I have everything in place so I will build as I go.
I decided the way to battle the lack of a formal system was just to record everything. I have a note pad on my cell phone and I am in possession of a beautiful moleskin notebook that my husband gave me. He fancies me a writer and he was told, (or knows, or just made up-he’s like that) that Hemingway used a Moleskin so The Husband thought I should have one too.
I am pretty sure that Hemingway did not have calories in and calories burned in his notebook, but whatever.
So today I wrote down my food, my exercise, my ideas, the money I spent the money I earned and a ridiculously long list of “To Dos” that included daily tasks, ideas, goals and future aspirations. Anything that came into my head, I wrote it down. Meanwhile, I scoured the Internet for healthy eating ideas and time management systems all during my day spent chasing and shuttling three kids. (Yes, three. The oldest got sick and missed her first day back at school.)
What I have written is a scary mish-mash of stuff right now, but at least it’s all accounted for. The insanity of it scared me enough to head to the bookstore after bedtime. There I scoured cookbooks and healthy eating books for recipes and then found a beautiful planner that has a place for daily notes too. This means I have a calendar and notebook all together and it fits in my purse. It’s not a Moleskin but I hope Hemingway isn’t too offended because it just might be a time management system.
Look out!
As for food, tomorrow I will compile five weeks worth of recipes. Then I will make shopping lists off those recipes and keep them in a steady rotation until we can’t take them anymore. Then I will do it again. I didn’t buy any more books. I have enough. I just needed to be reminded of that. Chalk a point up in the money management column for me! It will be a bit of work, but worth it in the end.
Today I am grateful for much, but what comes to the front of my mind is bookstores. Is there anything more rejuvenating than browsing self-help, money management and philosophy aisles? Is there anything more entertaining than cracking open the first few pages of the new novels? Is there anything more therapeutic than meandering through a place that smells like fresh coffee and fresh ink? When I left tonight I had a clean slate-literally-in my purse. A brand new shiny planner-full of only one thing… possibility.
AAAHHH.
P.S. Looking for more parenting guidance and tips for self-care? Check out From Chaos to Calm a guided training to help you feel better in this tough season.
i just found my franklin planner, circa 1999. off to see if it will fit in my purse.
OSM, all's I know is you said, "Ya'll" so yeah, you're in.
PS-I only have index cards full of recipes, no food or dinner plans to go with them yet! Fear not you are very close to me.;) PJM is an entirely different story!
hay-zeus, you two scare me. i am so far behind in the organized dept. that i'm getting dizzy just thinking about what to cook for dinner tonight…forget about leaving the house for something "constructive" to do. i'm so disorganized in fact that i need to fold laundry just to simultaneously sort my thoughts. am going to have to board this super-mom train so make room for lunus's twin sister-OSMA ya'll and let's get cracking on 2010!!!!
i gave mm index cards with ingredient lists on them for christmas… he was excited, in a completely macho way of course!
i write everything on a giant sheet of paper and tape it over our framed art in the dining room. it looks like a huge flow chart, but i sleep much better at night now.
clearly, i am so with you on all of this!
go woman!