Last week was one of those weeks where I had so much to do that I really didn't have time to stop and relax. So of course I spent most of the week wasting time. It didn't help that a huge snow storm hit midweek, transforming my biggest cleaning and planning day into a snow day Nothing says let's NOT get work done like 6 kids trapped inside your house. I'm all for teaching my kids responsibility and having them clean, but it isn't the most fun I can imagine and I couldn't quite bare to add it to my cleaning plan.So instead of sharing my big cleaning day with my kids, I opted to spend the day making cinnamon rolls, vaguely threatening kids to be good while letting them rot their brains watching TV, finishing a book I was reading, and helping the kids make valentines. I finished editing the pictures I needed for valentines and sent them off to the one hour photo place, requesting my husband pick them up on the way home. Which he did, only to find out that they had closed due to the storm. I guess I am not the only work shirker on snow days.
The saddest part of the snow storm was that there didn't end up being enough snow to sled. Not that I would have gone, after all I can't waste time doing something fun. I was determined to waste time last week doing nothing at all. Or whatever thing popped into my head at the moment. Do the laundry for our trip the next week? Nah, lets make notebook covers to match the kids' pen rolls. Making designs in my daughter's hair is much more important than finishing the dishes. Who needs a clean house? I have lunches with friends to attend to.
Anyway, I finished maybe 25% of the things I needed to get done last week (and that is a generous estimate). We left on our trip with everything at home half done. I've learned that some weeks are just like that. Do you ever have weeks that necessitate lots of productivity, but end up with not a lot getting done? Or the wrong things getting done? Do you beat yourself up about it or have you realized it is just part of life? With the productivity required all the time in my life, I figure sometimes the planning/efficient/get to work part of me just needs a break. I know it will be back soon.
In theory I always have all of these plans for Saturday where we will whistle while we work side by side. The boys will be kind and helpful and obediently do what we ask. I real life we usually get beds made, get a load of laundry in and then watch TV or play games together. I like it better that way.
ReplyDeleteConsider yourself lucky, I feel like my productivity moved out a few months back and only comes to visit occasionally. I did the same hairstyle for Kaylee for church on Sunday. My kids have today off and I am hoping to still get the house clean....I am off to a booming start sitting here on the computer though.
ReplyDeleteThe cinnamon rolls looked loverly!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a pattern (or link) for those pen rolls?
They are so cute! I have the same green material w/the trucks. So funny. :)
I made the same Valentine's this year for my kids!
Productivity is so overrated. If I could choose between finishing the laundry and making brownies, I'd definitely choose brownies.
ReplyDeleteNow, I am certainly not the authority on such things, but I think breaks are a must and wasting time is an underrated art form. And six kids? That alone is amazing. The chaos in your home must be stunning :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I actually have a day at home, no playgroups, no work, no nothing, I always have a huge list of things to accomplish. Sometimes, I get half of it done. Most of the time, I bum around on Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Do a craft with the kiddo. Clean a little and bake some. But as long as I accomplish something, it wasn't a totally wasted day.
ReplyDeletethose valentines are the cutest!! Cass missed Matthew yesterday!
ReplyDeleteIt must have been universal vortex of non-productivity (or maybe just in CT) because I was ultimately unproductive last week too...although it was due in large part to my children, snow and a certain unreal man named Mario (and Luigi.)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sorry to disagree but you really can't claim nonproductivity while still accomplishing so much. Adorable book coverings and yummy cinnamon rolls...I am off to make those pen roll things right now for the girls.
ReplyDeleteWas that my cinnamon roll recipe? They look much better than mine did, if so. Tami did Maddie's hair with the heart braid too. It is so cute and again, those Valentines are so awesome.
ReplyDeleteWow - you are one of those talented moms who can make really cool designs in their daughters' hair. Impressive! I don't even know how to French braid. (Good thing I have only boys so far...)
ReplyDeleteOne of the sayings that applies to me most in life is "work expands to fill the available time." I am very productive when pressed for time; if given days to accomplish a task, I plan and stall, plan and stall, and still do it at the last minute.
Have a great trip!
Amen sister! If you make cinnamon rolls you can come to my house to be unproductive anytime you want!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the crayon holders-I've been tempted to make those myself a few times. you're a better seamstress than I am so I'm sure it was nothing for you to do. I'd end up starting it & getting frustrated b/c it wasn't as easy for me as I though.
Gosh, Charlotte, I'm looking at your pictures and I see a lot of things you got done. Just sometimes they're not the things on your to-do list. So here's my slacker trick: write them on the to-do list afterwards and then cross them off! Voila! You've done something on your list.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, sometimes a lot of time goes by with me not really making progress but the kids have never been forgotten anywhere yet, so I figure I'm doing the most important job right.
We are kindred spirits! I often get stimulus overload. My problem is that I NEED stress or I don't get anything done (the opposite of most people). But hey, getting stuff done can be overrated, right?
ReplyDeleteThere is a saying: There are two reasons why people don't get things done, they either have too much to do or not enough to do. Like you I fall into the former category. Last week was my first week back to work and I felt like I was losing my mind trying to keep track of everything that had to be done. I've resorted to lists...will that make me more productive? That will remain to be seen. Happy/safe travels!
ReplyDeleteAlthough you didn't get your "list" done, I bet your kids appreciated the cinnamon rolls, valentines (CUTE!), educational TV, and creative hair-doing time more than a clean toilet.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing in my life that cuts into my desire to get the things/cleaning done around the house is that 30 minutes after it's done, the work is completely negated. Like laundry, the hamper is only empty until someone changes something, which is frequent. Not that we can let i go undone, but it's easy to prioritize it to the bottom, you know?!
Hope you are having a fun vacation. :)
Knowing how much work vacations are, I'd say it was good that you took a break to prep for it.
ReplyDeleteI do feel overwhelmed and unproductive most of the time. It's pretty much been that way since I was four months pregnant with #5 (who is almost four years old). Like other commentators, a deadline has been my motivation to be last-minute productive for way too long. Ironically, last week marked the beginning of an organization bug that I hope will stick around for a while.
P.S. I LOVE the Valentines. I've never seen any like that, but I look forward to copying it in the future.