This Early Bird Missed the Worm

The more time I have on my hands, the more I fritter it away.

I woke up with my alarm today. I was wide awake and raring to go. Rather than becoming an interactive cat toy (Junior Cat loves when he knows that I am awake so that I can scratch his ears and adore him exclusively), I decided to hop out of bed and make the most of my morning.

It is now 6:21 a.m. and I am (approximately) no further ahead than I usually am at this time of the day. I have tossed in a few loads of laundry and caught up on all of the blogs that I read. I took the time to watch a few videos that I found on my travels. But that is about it. I haven't even responded to the emails that I found in my inbox this morning. Hmmmm .... maybe I should do that right now.

Okay, it is now fifteen minutes later and I am back. 'This' is what I do when I have time. I go back and forth, hither and yon, my mind is in five different places at the same time and I keep looking at the clock. Only 25 minutes to go before I have to get ready for the day ahead of me.

I am defragmenting my laptop computer. My head is fast forwarding to the day ahead of me. I am thinking about the book I want to read and the invitations that I want to extend. I am thinking that I do not have time to be a-wasting because I have one Important Thing to do (my family book project).

I made time last night to tend to the business of submitting my columns. I have one paper left to go and that task is complete for the time being. The night before that, I managed to mow the lawn, donate blood and wash my hair all in the same evening.

I do have the ability to function after supper. I have been amazing myself. So why do I not amaze myself a little bit more and open up a chapter on my Book Project and whittle away at it??

What is my problem!??!!!

It is the excess time = excess frittering equation that is depleting me. A person does not feel like you have accomplished much, when all that you have to show for your hours is basically 'nothing'.

At least when I sit still and read an actual book, my mind is digging deeper and I feel a longer term motivation and inspiration. Yet that book sits to the side of me, underneath my little to-do pile. I can even turn reading into a job.

I am far more productive when I keep my to-do piles tended.

I wrote that sentence and shuffled my piles, tended to my laundry and took a step towards getting dressed today (I picked out my clothes). Oh. My. Gosh. I have become a two year old in my mind!

My attention span is getting shorter by the minute. I seem to have lost the ability to multi-task. I cannot sit still and complete one thing.

I gained an hour by getting up with my alarm today and I have all but lost it. Or have I?

I have reached out and touched four people in some small, insignificant way. My laundry basket is empty. My to-do piles are shrinking. And I am motivated to keep moving in a forward direction.

If I clear my mind during the day, I should have space to think about more important things tonight. When the house clears out and becomes quiet in the after-supper hours, I could tackle a small part of a big project.

I could ...

Now will I? What have you set out to do today? I know my mom always mapped out the day ahead of her before she went to bed at night. She accomplished many things with the hours that she had at her disposal. I believe the key is in the planning.

I need to start planning better. I will.

It is now 7:01 a.m. and my son snuck into the shower ahead of me. I was one minute too late! I got up early and I am now running behind. It is in the planning. It is all in the planning ....