A Million Little Pieces
No matter what happens during my day, there is always that one thing that will break the camel’s back, send me into a deep abyss of failure and self-pity. For me it’s being late. I. Hate. Being. Late.
Lately I have been horrible about keeping a schedule, showing up on time and even completing a simple to-do list. I need these things to function “properly”, that’s how my core or center is wired.
The core is my life and the packaging peanuts are distractions. I’ve been trying to work my core around my distractions, instead of my distractions around my core. As a result, I’m either late for something or rushing to get there on time. I can’t do that anymore, it doesn’t work for me. So, I’m in the process of trying to put me back together again, make a simple to-do list as well as a written schedule. For my sanity.
Control Freak? Possibly. OCD? Maybe.
How do you manage your priorities, stay productive and balanced?
Photo by ithinkdancan
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My name is Valerie aka Natural and I will be writing about whatever is on my mind. I love teaching, dialogue, sharing and making people laugh. I never know what I'll share here but this is me, Thinking Out Loud.
Was just in the middle of some EntreDropping when I saw Ms Un Defined come up on my iGoogle - so thought I’d distract myself from my distraction…
Yesterday I was distracted and couldn’t settle into anything, and today I am much better for no obvious reason. But lists always help for me - hand-written on a pad. I have 2 or 3 different lists at a time - on different pads. I forget about them before I have done all the things - but using them for a while then making more keeps things in track for me.
If I’m super distracted lying down can work for me - I move into a more settled state after a while. Or going for a walk. I just find my centre a bit those ways. Now back to some dropping…
Robin’s last blog post..Insects Versus Mother Theresa
Hi Natural,
When you get it figured out, let me know. We’re in the same boat. Not enough hours in the day. Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..In The Blog House
I also dislike being late. I’m finding that I’m overly stretched and have to learn to cut down with taking on too many tasks. Echoing what Barbara is saying too, I wish that there are more hours in the day!
Evelyn Lim’s last blog post..Blessings For Healing
Priorities are supposed to be managed? We’re supposed to be productive and stay balanced?? Oh good grief ,,, I forgot to study that lesson when I was a kid.
I HATE packing peanuts. They are statically charged evil!
Hilary’s last blog post..*Sob*
relax!! easy!! let it be!! let it go whatever it is….. have you looked at the trees… you see how calm and peaceful they are??? they are not in a hurry.. they never have to “go sumwhere”… nuthing is nature is in hurry!! spend sum tym in nature and you will know!
parv kaushik’s last blog post..Without You
Let it go. Let it flow.
I’ve always been organized in my head. I can write things on paper but some how I remember to go through most of my list. I’ve always forgotten one item though.
I should get in the habit of writing things down but then I’ll probably forget to go to the place I wrote it to remember to do it all.
Still trust my brain. I get at least 90% of the things done.
I’m all over the place.
Time is always my thing. I’m always on time if not early (mostly).
Alarm clock in your future?
Urban Thought’s last blog post..The Other Side of Politics
You’re not alone !
Oh, how I wish I could help you find that elusive “25th” hour that I’ve been so desparately seeking (think Ponce de Leon and his quest for the fountain of youth). I simply have no answers other than to get away from the technological “distractions” - the phone, the computer, the TV, etc…
The only thing I can offer is that if you DO solve this problem, people will be bashing on your door for a “piece of the action!”
Good luck!
Rita
I am a HUGE “To-Do-List” Person. Otherwise nothing woud get done. But dont feel bad. I haven’t been to work on time for over a year!
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..Climate Control
I also hate being late and I hate it when people are late…I tried to chill on this one but I can’t…
Years ago I realized that my time was more valuable to me than extra money (& or “things,”) & I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to go after free time. I quit my stressful, full-time job & got a part time job at my local library. I now make only a teeny bit more than my bills cost me, but I no longer “rush” for anything. I keep a schedule on my computer & never plan things too close together. My recent life has totally been about destressing & slowing down the pace of life. I’ve been successful in these attempts so far & I’m a much saner, healthier person for it. Keep in mind, however, that I don’t have kids. That would certainly change everything.
Good luck to you!
Lana’s last blog post..New Painting; For Rick Wright
Hi Valerie - I see you’ve persuaded Robin into this Entre dropping too - that’s another place I’ll have to go.
I was always late until recently. Then I realised my laptop clock was 15 minutes slow. Can you believe it? I thought Microsoft was supposed to be accurate. So check your clock - it could be that that’s doing it.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Social Media Leprosy and Other Problems
I have to have a routine..other wise my scdatter brain wanders all over the universe..I write down what I need to accomplish..but sometimes I lose the note I wrote…:)))
robert bourne’s last blog post..The Night and Days
Plan your day backwards–if you have to be at a place at 5:00 p.m. at what time do you have to leave to be there on time?–and use an alarm to go off at that time. That’s all I’ve got right now
Marelisa’s last blog post..Success - On Your Own Terms
My mom used to always set the clocks in the house up by 30mins. She swore this would prevent us from being late…..which might be true …..if you didn’t know the clocks were rigged…Sigh…
Roschelle’s last blog post..Barack Obama’s Ad: The Financial Crisis
Right now? I don’t. And it’s FREAKING ME OUT! I swear the planets are completely out of whack right now. Seriously. Venus and Mars must be banging each other…I mean banging into each other right now.
Urban Panther’s last blog post..Birth of a panther
what? no replies to our comments yet!!
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..Climate Control
I used to hate being late. I don’t care so much anymore.
My tip? If you possibly can, lower your expectations from yourself. Once I was able to do that, life became easier.
Vered - MomGrind’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Mona Lisa, Enhanced
Our 15 year old son, Dylan, hates being late too. If he is ever running behind, I’ll joke with him, “You’re late for being early!”
But at the same time, I think it is a good thing to want to be early. Maybe daddy ought to look at his son’s good habits a bit more often…
PaulsHealthBlog.com’s last blog post..Save Thousands of Dollars and Needless Suffering
Robin, I don’t know what’s wrong with my feed name, Google is the only reader that does that “I don’t know who you are thingy”. I’m having priority issues, the inconsequential has taken the place of the essential. I’m sloppy, rushed and thrown together…doesn’t feel good to me. I did have a great day today, made all my appointments/meetings on time. Are you having fun dropping, I bet Frank is like what the?
Barbara, you shocked me with your post and made me laugh too. Being unorganized doesn’t work for me, I think there’s enough hours in my day, I just try to do too much and without managing my time and then I try to make up for it when I’m behind. We’ll get there. For now a schedule will work, I even penciled in some downtime.
Evelyn, awh, in my book, it’s kind of disrespectful to show up late…I mean things happen, but if it’s done because one simply doesn’t care to be on time, something’s wrong. I think that is part of my problem, too many tasks….More hours in the day is just like money, the more we have the more we spend. I need a time budget to work with what I got.
Hilary, something like that, yeah. My priorities anyway, they scream for attention. My slack is showing and for what?
Parv, if I was a tree, I guarantee you, I would not move….I’m human, my life involves some action. Wouldn’t it be nice though if we could arrive whenever we felt like it….of course, that might be a problem for doctors, the ambulance and the fire department. Being on time matters, to me.
Urban Thought, some things I have let go, I’m learning. When I plan things or write them down, it’s more likely to get done..man if I trusted my brain, I wouldn’t leave the house. Lol. Alarm clock? Got a human and an electronic alarm clock, oh I get up at 5 a.m. and late for work by 9. That makes me sooo mad.
RogerDJ, oh I know, just need to say it out loud.
Rita, the 25th hour is in there, it’s just wrapped in a schedule or list for me. Yes the technological distractions: the computer, I loves me some computer, part of my problem, shhh, don’t tell anyone. Thanks.
Meleah, see and you get stuff done. I don’t like rushing, I like taking my time, but I don’t want to be late. I had a great day yesterday, I wake up too early to be late, ya know? I can plan better than I have been. Um you haven’t been on time to work in over a year? HUH. Well just how late do you be? Surprise everyone and show up on time on Monday, k?
Chris, I’m with you, it sets my mood. Of course, it’s going to happen, but when I look at WHY I was late, it’s usually because of poor planning or forgetting to do something. I’ll chill on something else too.
Lana, that’s what I would like to do, slow it down. If I spaced out what I NEED to do into a schedule instead of trying to cram everything in whenever, I’ll have my desired pace and peace.
Cath, Robin was influenced, hehehe, I’ll have to check back with her to see if she notices a difference or needs therapy. You have it too now, been to your blog on one of my night drops. Your laptop clock was 15 minutes slow, oh no! Nah, my clocks are fine, wish that was the reason.
Robert, I hear ya..my brain is oozing out of my ears by the pint. I’m getting it together, will start of slow, with a few things I need to get done and then add to it.
Marelisa, thanks Mare. Yesterday was a busy day for me, but I was on time all day, it felt great, not to be running around, raising my voice and grunting at people.
Roschelle, that’s funny. I wish I could try that, actually I have one clock that’s 10 minutes fast…my car clock used to be 5 minutes fast. You start doing math and be like, I got time. lol
Urban Panther, oh goodie, I have company. I used to tell people that I would be wherever down to the minute, like 3:23, lol WTH. Well I don’t do that no more, I just want to be on time…not keep people waiting. Darn Venus and Mars, what’s going on!
Meleah, you look familiar. Um see what had happened was, I was out last night and when I got home, um there was some wine, some music and I started seeing spots, big ones. I though it was a dot to dot challenge and lost track of time….see now I’m silly. Seriously though, I got home late and wasn’t able to reply right away. Maybe I need to make my replies shorter, I’m typing blog posts in the comment section. You forgive me? Yeah? Cool! Tomorrow wear your fur to work, they will get the idea, if not, do what I suggested.
Vered, I think I was starting not to care myself, like my time was more valuable than theirs….I don’t like it when people are habitually late with me, makes me mad. I can lower my expectations, but it depends on where I have to be, organized events or jobs, I need to be on time.
Paul, I love that, you’re late for being early. LOL I rather be early than late. I like when I have appts. and people show up for me on time like at the doctor’s office. Thanks for stopping by….cheers for Dylan…kids can and do teach us a lot.
I super suck at prioritizing, balancing and being productive! LOL. However, I am always on time! It’s my “thing”. I think that’s why I so despise waiting for people.
Corrina’s last blog post..Brain Leakage
I’ve been late most of my life. I’ve had a very hard time waking up most of my life. Now I have fibromyalgia, which involves a sleep disorder where your sleep doesn’t restore your energy. Maybe I had it way back when. I always got off to a slow start and it went downhill from there.
There was a point where I realized it was disrespectful to others to be late, and I started changing. Having routines helps me, plus two alarm clocks, my Outlook calendar and my Palm. My memory has gone somewhere and I forget where.
I once had a friend who was always 1/2 hour late for anything our group planned. She liked “making an entrance.” We finally decided just to tell her a different time than everyone else. She never figured it out and it worked great.
Yes, it is one of lifes greatest challenges. I try to follow this advice: Triad of Balance
peace,
mike
livelife365
Mike Foster’s last blog post..Viva Avocado!
Manage my priorities? That’s overrated. The important stuff will float to the top and make their importance known. Everything I don’t bother worrying myself over.
“The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind. The kind of things that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Thursday.”
- Baz Luhrmann
TOPolk’s last blog post..False Advertising: Pizza Power
Hi Natural:
You need to be a little easy on yourself. I compiled a short list of events for which you cannot afford to be late and these are:
a. Arriving for a free cocktail party.
B. When there is free lunch at the office.
C. On your first date.
D. When you know your boss is going to get fired.
E. When you have had bad spicy food and the closest toilet is three miles away.
F. Paying your mortgage on time ( maybe unless it was held by Lehman )
Rest of the events in life can probably wait a little longer. No? By the way, I liked both the comment by Parv and your response to the same. What is OCD? Thank you.
Raj Krishnaswamy’s last blog post..A thermal spray mindset
Corrina, I was reading your tweets and I saw when you said that you hate waiting on people. Me too..if being late is a habit with them. It use to be my thing to be on time….guess I stopped caring. that doesn’t sound like me. buh.
Dot, having a sleep disorder is different. That’s funny….telling your friend a different time than everyone else and she didn’t know. LOL
Mike, thanks for passing that link along. I will check it out. I haven’t been late in several days and all lights have been turning green and parking spaces have been opening up.
Topolk, thanks funny…you’re priorities floating to the top. I think I was pushing mine back down.
Raj, oh there are times when I make excuses for myself….i’m only referring to things when being on time matters. i still hate being late, nothing i want to practice, but your list made me smile.
OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder. there’s a disease for everything
Oh, I WISH I knew the answer to this question! As I sit here getting caught up on the blogging I have missed over the past 2.5 weeks I’m trying to turn the other cheek to the camping gear that is still scattered around my livingroom floor.
I wonder if doing “time estimates” for our daily schedules might help. Figure out how much time is needed for blogging, and other things and actually sit down and map it out. For example, I’ve spent 2.5 hours tonight commenting on blogs (geez, is that bad???). I’m going to start only checking email at certain times of the day and only blog at certain times of the day.
Another key might be to figure out what your own rhythm is. I find I’m better at blogging late in the day after I know all my other tasks are done. You can get more mileage if you do a specific thing at the time of day when you are most open to doing it. Less dragging your ass
Davina’s last blog post..Stepping Out Of These Old Shoes
I don’t - I just pick out the biggees and those dragons I slay - the rest will have to fall where it may . For ME life ’s embracing is bigger than all the other stuff..I was probably smelling and cutting flowers…
sandy’s last blog post..Teddy Bear Song
I hate being late and I hate people who keep me waiting because they’re late. If anything, if I have an appointment I always seem to arrive early but that’s because I allow plenty of time to get to where I’m going.
I wish my day could be as well planned, but it isn’t because there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get things done. Work has a strange way of interfering with my life! And now that I’ve started into blogging, it’s worse because I spend most of my free time at home doing drops on entrecard, writing new posts to keep my blog up to date, and trying to make comments on other blogs! As for a social life - I have to try and figure out how to fit that in now!
Robin’s last blog post..Shoeshine Boys
DAVINA, that’s part of my plan - not just sit down at the computer and simple be. i could sit here all day and not flinch. allocating time for everything i need to do and putting the important stuff on top. thanks for the suggestions.
SANDY, basically, i need to pull the biggest dragons out and let the rest fall where they may.
ROBIN, when i’m on time, i feel better. i don’t have to walk around rushing folks to hurry up, don’t have to drive faster than normal…i’m laid back but with a purpose….don’t like rushing. yes work gets in the way of life, isn’t that the truth, thanks for stopping by.
I am so getting the FUR out of storage. This is nuts. And…Can I please have some of that wine that makes you see spots?
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..Cause For Celebration
you mean I am not supposed to start doing dishes, then decide to throw the dishtowel in the washer, and while I’m there fold the clothes in the dryer, then put the clothes in my room, then make the bed, oh and I should really vacuum while I’m here, someone left their drinking glass on the nite stand, oh yeah, I was doing dishes wasn’t I?
my daily to do list is to get organized. and/or stay on task…it’s easier said than done!
Meleah, sending wine over the vibe line. Actually some liquor will keep you warm, you can drink at work right? I sowee you’re cold. Really, wear a coat, they might get the hint, turn blue if you have to.
Blogger Newbie, oh man I got tired just reading this list. As far as cleaning, I USED to break up my cleaning schedule during the week. One day for floors, one day for laundry, one day for dusting…sounds crazy, but I didn’t have to end up doing everything on one day. I will be getting back to that. So far, I’ve been doing great on the late in and getting off the computer to do more important things, I’m back reading books, yippie. Oh and I delegate too.
@ Natural
actually breaking up chores by the day is a good idea. Makes things a little less overwhelming. One task to do instead of all 10!
Ah, I had to come back and see if somebody had an answer that I could incorporate into my own life…I see you’ve gotten some tips, but much more sympathy! Has any one thing helped? I’d love to know!
Rita
Boy, am I the wrong person to ask that question right now (severe laziness syndrome). I usually benefit from a to-do list, tho. When I’m overhwhelmed and panicky, I feel better seeing everything written down, and especially being able to scratch out the items as I complete them.
Or I just take a Vicodin and say, Tomorrow!
JD at I Do Things’s last blog post..I Get Free Stuff so you don’t have to
I’m certainly no expert in the arena.
To-do lists are definitely effective. I think staying focused and making it a high priority to do what you need to do, is the only thing I can think of.
And to remember, it is often uncomfortable being productive and on time. But, if you’re on top of your game, you just know it.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post..7 Ways to Settle a Dispute
Blogger Newbie, breaking up the chores worked for me in the past. I will be going back to that for sure.
Rita, we’re all in the same boat. I know what works for me, the schedule (not rigid) the to-do list. I need a little more self discipline in some areas..it’s really the application of what I know that works for me. Hey I haven’t been late in over a week. First time in a long time. I’m glad at that, at least.
JD, what’s up! Another list maker. Cool. It does help seeing stuff written down…makes a difference and when you get to cross it off. Whoa momma! Vicodin, aye?
Bamboo Forest, this is all I want to do: staying focused and making it a high priority to do what you need to do. Rearrange what I do and when I do it.