4. Write about what motivates you to be productive.
Every other year or so I decide I’m going to change my ways and be the type of productive human my mother had hoped I would grow up and become. I want to be the type of human who cleans and cooks and works and exercises and puts makeup on every day. But things are pretty lax around here. I work from home and only leave to drop mail off at the post office and get groceries. Nothing is so demanding in the day to push me into go-mode. So I dilly dally.
But not anymore! I have developed a system and honestly, I should patent it and write a book about it so that it can be the next big craze. Remember when Oprah read The Secret and then this whole trend of putting our intentions out into the universe or on paper would have a positive impact on our lives? Everyone started making vision boards and setting goals and think positively…things that were already being done prior but since it was packaged as THE SECRET, it was now a life-changing trend.
THAT is what I am doing here. I’m going to set a trend that is already probably being done, I’m going to give it a catchy name like CRUNCH TIME! and once Oprah catches wind of it, I will be a guru. The whole world will catch on and everyone will be like “have you read CRUNCH TIME!? Are you crunching time?? Gosh, my life has changed since I began to crunch time, you too!?”
The idea is that you determine what tasks you would like to complete each day and you set a timer for that task. So in my case, I work from home and spend many hours on my computer. Even though I’m home, I feel like I don’t have time to clean or cook, and yet I’m still not as productive on the computer as I’d like to be. Sure I do my work, but I also check Facebook and read news articles and look at Instagram. I can get easily distracted and since I know I have all day to work, there is no motivation to stay on task.
By using a timer I have created this fake sense of urgency. I better get as much done on the computer as I can because I only have an hour and a half to work and then I have to clean something. When my timer goes off, I stop what I’m doing and set a 45-minute alarm for cleaning. I usually start with the kitchen daily and then work in a bathroom or bedroom or whatever needs attention in a second or third session. When that 45 minutes is up I get another 1.5 hours on the computer and so on and so forth. I’m able to get in a minimum of 2 cleaning sessions (3 if I don’t have to drive kids places) and the time I spend on the computer has become more focused and intentional because I know my time is limited.
This timer method of scheduling out my day has forced me into go mode and I love it! My kitchen has never been cleaner and since I maintain it daily, it opens up time to move beyond that surface cleaning and into reorganizing junk drawers and Tupperware cupboards. I make my cleaning slots just 45 minutes because it doesn’t feel like a daunting amount of time and you’d be surprised at how much nicer things look with just a bit of attention.
The most challenging part of my day is the 3pm-7pm section because inevitably I am running out of steam at this point. Part of me starts dreading the one-hour workout I have carved into the day at 6pm and the other part of me is just hot and uncaffeinated. Also, when I don’t feel like cooking…there’s just no amount of scheduling that is going to get me excited to follow a recipe. So that part of the evening can still use some work, but overall I’m MOTIVATED!
I think being productive makes me feel like I accomplished a lot in a day and so I’m motivated the next day to keep it up. Do you hear that Oprah? Productivity BEGETS Productivity, chapter 4. In the same sense, I think complacency begets complacency (chapter 5). If I haven’t been cleaning, it all feels overwhelming so I continue to avoid it. These bite-sized timed chunks of productivity means that all of the things that are important to me are getting a bit of attention.
Now the question is…how long can I keep it up? Because I swear EVERY TIME I decide to turn over a new leaf and make wonderful positive changes, they don’t last. Old habits die hard (or not at all) and I slip right back into them. But that doesn’t stop me from trying. Ope! There goes my one-hour blog post timer, gotta go!!
Now it’s your turn!
Choose a prompt, post it on your blog, and come back to add your name to the link list below. Be sure to sign up with the actual post URL and not just your basic blog URL (click on the title of your post for that URL). For good comment karma try to comment on the three blogs above your name!!
The Prompts:
1. Write about a book you love.
2. How is Summer different for kids these days than it was for you growing up?
3. Tell us about the last crowded event you attended.
4. Write about what motivates you to be productive.
5. Write about something you are looking forward to.
John Holton says
Your “crunch time” technique sounds a little like the Pomodoro technique (named for the kitchen timer that looks like a tomato), except that’s more geared toward students. (https://e-student.org/pomodoro-study-method/) It’s good to have a plan, isn’t it?
Hey, how’s Harper? I don’t know why, she just sort of crossed my mind. I haven’t seen her in a while.
Mama Kat says
Of course the tomato timer idea works for me since I am basically a giant child. lol
Harper is doing great! She is 1 year seizure free and they have received doctor approval to start weaning her off of her very restrictive Keto diet. It’s not healthy for kids to be on that diet for too long. She has not relapsed so far and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that she never does. Next step will be to wean her off of the medications she has been on. Thanks for asking!
Betsy says
As Alexis on Schitts Creek said “I love that journey for you!” Glad you found something that seems to be working for you! Hopefully the trend continues. =)
Mama Kat says
omg that Alexis quote made me laugh. I think we all know it’s a matter of time before I write my follow up “so that didn’t work” blog post. lol So far so good though!
madamdreamweaver says
Let us know how long it lasts. I decide a short do-list for my day that I keep in my head. No timer—that’s too much pressure. And if I don’t get something done, it’s okay if it’s the next day. The cat has no expectations of me except food and box care.
Mama Kat says
Short to-do lists work pretty good for me too! My only problem is they don’t stay short and then I give up. lol
abby says
I’m motivated just reading :)
Actually, I’ve used this method – very inconsistently – in the past and sometimes present. Too bad Oprah doesn’t do her show anymore, you’d be a shoe-in!
Mama Kat says
Yeah, it’s funny, I think I’ve attempted this in the past and it just never catches on. I definitely run out of gas around the 3pm/4pm mark and become a lot less productive. Oprah could have given me a spin-off series like Dr. Phil. If only.