Tuesday, August 31, 2010

30-day Makeover

The beginning of the month is a great time for a restart.  I tried this several months ago & it was a success...  I just have to keep my focus after the month is up.  Sometimes I go a little crazy...

 
OK, what exactly am I talking about?  A month long make-over.  This is where I commit to making some changes for 30 days.  The idea being that "it's only 30 days," and the potential that once I do something for 30 days I'll be able to incorporate it into my routine, make it a new habit or a lifestyle change.

 
My list of potential month long changes grows, and continues to grow as I get inspired.  It's kinda long...  I'm wondering if I can really pull off all of these???  Ack!  That's not the right attitude, is it?  Here's what I've got so far:
  • walk the dog
  • do arm exercises
  • clean the kitchen
  • clean the bathroom
  • clean the closet (!)
  • no spending (!)
  • check off one to-do-list item a day
  • schedule my project work & stick to it (ugh)
  • if I eat after 7p, it can only be in raw form
  • no alcohol, no sweet tea, no soda (aarrggghhh!)
  • at work:  daily rounds EVERY day
  • no personal stuff @ work except on my lunch hour
  • Facebook once a day ONLY
  • come up with a daily tweet
  • wear diamonds
  • look & dress my best
  • catch up my personal blog
  • read the Bible
  • pray
  • start a gratitude journal
  • read Dave Ramsey
  • read work clippings
  • check my son's schoolwork, bookbag & website
  • clean out my car

 
~sigh~

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Desk Shot - not!

No workstation picture today, but definitely plenty of material to work with if I took the time.  Instead I've got a list of things on the to-do-list for this week:
  • file (ugh!)
  • pack up the atelier AND the guest room (ugh)
  • meet with the contractor on a renovation project
  • complete Lessons 1-3 for my photography class
  • organize my project schedule (ugh)
  • purge my closet (again???)
  • call the dermatologist
  • call my rheumatologist AND my obgyn while I'm at it (ugh)
  • upload the football pictures for my mommy-friends
  • at least Chapter 1 of my book debrief project...  at least Chapter 1...

WooHoo!  Braves just beasted an awesome 9th inning against the Marlins.  That was freakin' awesome!!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

another week, another desk shot...

This past week was a DOOZY!  But I absolutely love working under the gun like that.  I was focused and spot-on.  What needed to get done, got done, and if I had time for something else that wasn't "urgent," and felt like working that in, too, I did.  Started a new check-off system that seems to be working (so far).  I'm such a list maker and used to write down my daily "must do today" in my appt calendar.  Somehow, that got away from me & I've been a bit scrambled ever since.  Well, I went back to that system and had a much better, more organized, less stressful week.  Whew!  It's about time!

A busy weekend WITHOUT "work" for once but with plenty of "personal commitments" to accomplish that kept me on my feet & away from the keyboard, so last night I kicked back & played catch-up.  Here's my "desk shot" for this week:



Got my head together and came in ready to tackle some outstanding paperwork without feeling overwhelmed and stressed.  Even managed to set aside time for a pre-office breakfast this morning with my mom, sister & niece and out-of-town relatives here over the weekend for a wedding... SUCH a good feeling when everything falls into place!

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Sunday, August 15, 2010

desk shot!

Working on a Sunday...  I don't really mind.  This is the day I get my head together so I'm ready for the week.  My desk is a bit out of sorts, tho, isn't it?



Lots on the to-do-list this week:  get my photography blog caught up, finalize the scavenger hunt plans, find a home for an adorable puppy (whatever have I gotten myself into???), meet with some contractors to bid on a remodeling job and a landscaping redesign, itemize furniture inventory, shuffle some bookcases around in the atelier, send my beloved dining room table & chairs out for refinishing (at the tune of $1600, omgosh!), catch up on invoices, re-organize my project schedule, create a checklist for housekeeping sweeps, find my son's cleats, clear out old emails, take care of some filing, incorporate diet & exercise into my daily routine (yeah, right)...

Just a glimpse, and just a touch of what I'd really like to accomplish this week.  Instead of it being overwhelming, I find it liberating to list it all out.  And find it especially exhilarating to check them off one by one.  Love it!

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Monday, August 9, 2010

I did it!!!

The overall background redesign didn't work out but I got a banner up and I love it!!!  I'm so excited.  The rest of the blog needs some work, tho - back to the drawing board on that one...  Ggggrrrr....

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Well, this has been a bummer of a day...

Having "one of those days," where things are just not falling into place like I hoped they would.  Had the restorer come by to price my table, and it turned into the table & chairs & the upholstery...  hmmm, I had the upholstery scheduled with someone else - at a better price!  But it really does make sense to keep this all with one vendor so I gave in - only to have the final quote be sooooo much more than I could have ever imagined! My husband gave his blessing, so we're moving forward, but I'm just not excited about spending all that money (altho I am excited to finally, after 12 years) have the dining room suit "suited" to me & my tastes.  Yay.  (that's a very weak "yay," FYI).  So, the day plods along & weather issues prevented my event from starting on time... an almost 2 hour delay!  And now, due to other circumstances, the event is limping along and this night feels never ending.  I still have a 45min ride home once I finally get out of here, which could be another hour yet.  Ugh.

Trying to make the most of it by working on my blog re-design, but guess what?  Somethng is off with the internet and I can't in to the templates.  Ggggrrrr!!!!  I suppose there is always tomorrow... which is kinda where I'm going with this post.

Sometimes we have to shift gears, reprioritize and adjust our sails.  It's not ideal and it can be discouraging, but we have to stay focused and stay on course, keeping our eyes on the horizon.  A set back is not the time to give up.  It's the time to dig in our heels and be determined.  If this is what we want, if this is a priority, then we will keep on keeping on.

So, tonight I'm shutting down the computer, but not in defeat, and dragging myself home to crawl in bed & wake up refreshed & rejuvenated & revived to try again tomorrow.  This rut tonight will not stop me from trying again tomorrow.    

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Welcome to my world!

This blog is supposed to be about the way we work, whether our work space is a kitchen, a truck, a cubicle or a fully-equipped office. It's also supposed to be about motivation, efficiency, productivity... and, sadly, it's about how I don't seem to work! What gets in my way, overcoming distractions, struggles getting it all together, etc.

Just this weekend we were laughing about professionals being lax at home. The pharmacist said, "there's no medicine in my house! Heaven forbid someone need an aspirin or a band-aid." The logistical coordinator chuckled, "don't ask me where a pad and pencil are when it comes time to jot something down during a phone call!" The moving company owner piped up: "I've got boxes in the basement that have been there since the day we moved in 3 years ago!" And I sat there with my mouth shut (but was thinking: please, please don't go upstairs & see my workroom! I will never work in this town again...).

And so a new weekly series has been born from the depths of my overloaded brain: a weekly picture of my current "desk" and a quick synopsis of what's on my agenda for the days ahead. Another ploy to show you, "see, I get it. I live it, too. We're all in this together!"


And there it is! I don't know what to say except "Welcome to my world!" This is my craft desk - it's an industrial metal storage shelf 2 layers high with a HUGE pressboard tabletop extending the edges. My desk chair is actually a barstool. I thought I'd WANT to work at this height. I thought I'd LIKE working at this height. I'm not sure that I don't to either. The reality is I don't work here much at all.

Obviously, I can't. Not only is it overly cluttered but I've got it filled with my futitle attempts at organization. The cascading filing system, the basket overflowing with stamps, the photo carousel, the dish drying rack (another filing system), the canvas basket (empty! why?), the clip-it-up organizer, the angled jars filled with office supplies, the empty retail gadget chip bag clipper-upper I found @ Goodwill & thought would be GREAT to put stuff on but haven't quite figured out what yet, the piles upon piles upon piles of "to-be-fileds"... whew!
Would it be shocking to learn that tonight I was up there sorting thru piles of papers and shifting miscellaneous items to & fro in search of some very important paperwork that is needed TOMORROW?
Um, no, I don't suppose it would be shocking...
So, this is my designated workspace. This is how I "work." And because I cannot work here without first investing NUMEROUS hours of organization & cleaning first, I have temporarily relocated to the dining room table. ~sigh~ It is what it is.
Probably not surprising is that cleaning off my worktable is NOT on the agenda this week! Instead I'll be focusing on a very busy week of events EVERY night this week, which happens to also be my son's first week back to school. Summer is OVER.
So my week will be a blur and flurry of activity, from getting back into a routine tomorrow morning to organizing pre-event activities to overseeing event coordination to hosting my cousin for an overnight mid-week to refamiliarizing myself with the school's website to last minute school supply shopping of items we somehow forgot to falling into bed utterly exhausted everynight but somehow managing to wake up & do it all over again the next day... from Monday to Monday this will be my life this coming week. And you know what? I really, truly wouldn't have it any other way.

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