My word of the year this year is “Mindful”. So far, I need more practice. I would say this is old age but I’ve done this my entire life. It’s a wonder Chad survived! I think I did ok as a parent – I never forgot where I left him; I was on time to pick him up from places, I fed him. I always did a great job at work and the one time I quit to move away, when we moved back to town, the attorney hired me right back so I must have been an ok employee.
But, if I don’t stay completely focused . . nothing gets finished. I really have to work hard to stay focused. I’ll be washing dishes and think of something else I need to do, stop and go do that, then think of something else and an hour later, the dishwater is cold and I kept going from one thing to another. Sometimes, I stop myself in my tracks and say “NO! Finish what you’re doing!”
The dishwasher repairman was coming early Friday morning so Thursday, I emptied the dishwasher, cleaned the filter, cleaned the top of the dishwasher where it sometimes has debris. Apparently, I started doing that and got sidetracked. Thursday night I made a rather large mess cooking and I hand washed all the dishes because I didn’t want to have to clean the dishwasher again before the repairman got here.
Vince let him in and they went into the kitchen together. I walked in a few minutes later and the repairman was taking dishes off the glass rack. At least they were clean dishes! I said “Did I leave that in there?” Of course, Vince said “No! He put them in and now he’s taking them out.” I said “I could have sworn I unpacked that dishwasher!” I must have gotten sidetracked . . put clothes in the dryer, answered the phone, stopped to watch a bird outside . . a squirrel . . who knows . . but I never went back to finish and never thought about it again.
My “mindful” effort this next week is going to be staying focused. I’m going to try to finish each job before running off to do something else.
After using all my little containers for floss, I wished I had a few more for needle and trim storage. Vince said “order more”. I went to my computer at least half a dozen times yesterday to order more and each time, I did something else – sent email to a friend, checked the weather, looked for buttons online, found a recipe . . never did order the containers. This morning I thought about them again, sat down and ordered them.
Too much to do and not paying enough attention!
Helen says
I do this, too. Frustrating and my house shows my disorganization.
SusanB says
Keep a notepad handy. Write down what you want to do. Then finish what you’re doing.
Cindy F says
I’m the same about a lot of things! I will admit my tree is still up with boxes all around. I got started but would get distracted by something else and never got back to it…lol My house also shows my disorganization and I would hate to show photos of both sewing rooms! I do aim for organization and do make baby steps from time to time. Staying focused is the issue for me!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
My tree is down. Just this morning I realized Rudolph is still on my mantle and there’s a decoration hanging on the inside of the front door. I’m sure if I truly opened my eyes, I’d see more.
Paula Nordt says
It’s not constant for me, but I do have bouts of what I call squirrel brain!
Betty C Edwards says
Oh my that all sounds too familiar! That is me to a tee! My hubby says make notes, so I tried but I don’t read them! No help at all. I have to talk to myself to get something finished before heading in a different direction!
Nelle Coursey says
It is time to slow down and just relax. Whatever it is you need to do next, jot a note and then go on washing dishes. Then you can do the task you thought of. And if you think of more, jot them down as well.
Sherry Bobak says
I make notes all the time about books to read, recipes to try, quilt patterns I have so I don’t buy them again. Then I lose the notes. Too many pieces of paper in too many places and I can’t find anything.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Oh, my . . that sounds so much like what I do.