When I come home from work I find all I want to do is sit down and veg. Some days I have no energy. My inclination when I walk through the door is to sit down on the couch as quickly as possible. The problem is that I usually have plenty of things to do, including getting a meal ready.
One day, after thinking about my time-wasting habits, I realised that flopping down on the couch was the crucial point at which I was choosing to "slack off". I realised that I needed to change what I did right at that point. Ever the queen of making life easy, I challenged myself to do just one thing before I sat down. I figured that would lighten the workload at least a little. I don't believe in work, work, work but I know that relax, relax, relax is counter-productive as well!
So, one thing is what I try to do before I sit down and succumb to the need to veg out after I come home from work. Keeping it simple, is the key!! I usually assign myself something easy to do, such as put ten things away (yep, there can be a lot of mess sometimes), before I have a cuppa, or clean the basin, then have a snack.
You might have already guessed what I'm going to say next. After I do one job I feel a sense of achievement and I find myself doing a little bit more. The ten things I pick up, quickly and easily, become twenty things. While I give the living room a quick tidy-up, I start working out what I need to do for dinner. The other day I decided to water the pot plants and I took a quick walk around the garden. Most of the plants are dying off after the summer season but I found a zucchini ready to pick.
This is also where a meal plan works well for me. It helps if I start on the meal preparation before I sit down. I sometimes feel daunted by the task of cooking a meal after a day's work, so it is much easier when I don't have to think too much about what I'm going to cook. I apply the same principle to meal prep: just do one thing for the meal before I take a rest. More often than not, I end up cooking the whole meal.
I recommend doing just one thing when you need to do work but can't be bothered or you're just too tired. It makes life a little bit easier and lightens the load with minimal effort. And, if you're lucky, you'll probably end up doing more than you set out to do!
Some of this probably sounds outlandish to busy parents who don't always have the luxury of free time before mealtimes. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how they do it.
I do know that in the years gone by I would be totally drained at times by being with other people. There would have been times when I felt worthless (and worse) and it was very hard to turn around and do a simple task such as nourish myself with good food. Social anxiety can be extremely taxing on the mind and body.
It's a Labor Day holiday here and a great opportunity to catch up on one or two things. I think it's fairly obvious that my blogging routine is all out of whack so today I thought I would simply share with you a little of what's been happening lately.
Last week life was busy with getting Mr S organised in his new job. Things are off to a good start so let's hope it continues.
Meanwhile, my daily and weekly routines are taking a little longer since I take the bus everywhere. It certainly makes me appreciate the convenience of a car. I've made a number of allowances because of this.
I've been trying to get back on track with goals and the like. Last week Mr S, some family members and I went in the March Against Melanoma around Melbourne's Botanical Gardens.It had been my hope to enter and run the race in memory of my father. I knew I wasn't ready for that so we walked instead. It was a lovely morning, having been stormy the night before. Mr S said that next year we would run and it is my hope that I will be able to do that.
Our garden is neither here nor there at the moment. When we get some wheels we will try to get some good soil and build it up for the coming seasons. There are some end-of-summer delights: we've got 7 apples, one zucchini and a basket of prickly pears from the plant hanging over the fence.
Ever resourceful, Mr S is keen to make the most of this good food. Back home for the weekend he is in his element, pottering around the garden and kitchen, doing little experiments with what's on hand. He tried making juice from the prickly pears this morning. I'm not sure whether I'm gain to try it.
I'm finally getting to a point where I'm comfortable tackling some of the more demanding jobs around the house. For the last couple of months the house and garden have been so neglected. I'm still cautious and I make sure I go about the work slowly. This is where I find teaching a troublesome job. I do love the job immensely but I really cherish my time at home and want it to be for family, home and friends and - an introvert at heart- for me, so that I can reboot!! It's easy for me to fall under the spell of "domestic bliss" but the call of work preparation and corrections always beckons.
Last week was a week of bought lunches! My energy levels were low and resources (transport, time) limited so I decided to buy lunch at school. In the end it was a good decision. We have freshly-made hot lunches available at school so I ate well and I had a light meal in the evenings.
On a positive note I bought a new drink bottle and it works!! So I've just started to drink more water and I've stocked up on bread and fillings for the coming week. This is my year to be healthy and happy so I welcome the chance to take any step I can in that direction.
Now I really should drink some water and attend to school work , even though I would love to potter around the house and enjoy the sunshine. I might try a compromise of school work and some time in the sunshine later this afternoon.
Have a good week.
It seems that the last couple of months have been one pothole in the road after another.
Tonight a mechanic told me that my car is in no condition to be driven. Not even to the garage to be fixed. Last week I took Mr S up to his new job in the country and the realisation hit that he needs a car to manage that job. Up until now he was happy taking public transport. All of a sudden a new car is on the must-do list and that certainly wasn't part of the plan for 2015.
Yet, we're both OK and as frazzled as I've been, at times, we're managing fine, which got me to thinking: "Why?" Years ago, I would have cried, felt burdened and been down on myself.
When I look back I can see that many of the challenges I encountered through the years have actually made it easier for me to deal with what I face now in my life.
I remember backpacking many years ago. I was terrified before I set off. At that time, my friends were married and settled while I was still navigating the hassle of life. However I so wanted to go travelling, nothing would stop me. I remember challenging myself to go into Target alone and not walk out straight away. I figured if I were going to travel the world I might need to practise walking around new places by myself. That's right. As a young woman in my twenties, it was quite a challenge to go into a small, quiet department store and actually wander around.
So that particular day I did it, excruciating as it was.
I ended up travelling the world for 11 months on my own.
That was the year I learned that dreams can come true. I came to realise that if you really want something you can find a way to do it. What I also know is that life may not be easy... but amazing things can still happen one way or another. It helps to remember this when the going gets tough.
 |
| at the bus-stop |
A few years ago I noticed I was getting really impatient, stressed and upset waiting in traffic. I eventually decided that I needed to tackle the problem instead of getting frustrated and upset.
So these last few weeks, as I waited for buses that didn't come, I was reminded that getting upset and stressing hurts no one but me. I've learned that no amount of cursing will make that bus come any faster, nor will my anger allow me to find a better way of dealing with the situation.
I watched my dad die slowly. I've seen friends deal with infertility. I have students who don't have a parent. Over time, all of these personal encounters have taught me how to keep things in perspective.
Waiting at the bus stop might be an inconvenience but that doesn't mean my life is no longer abundant. It's a pothole in the road, and I need to walk around it and get on with the journey.
I have to be honest. For me these lessons took a very long time and it's only with hindsight that I can see the value of those earlier life experiences.
So now, when I'm faced with a car that doesn't work and a partner whose job is far from home, I know that tears and self-deprecation are not effective coping strategies. The fact is life is really OK. I'm now extremely grateful that my life experiences have included inconveniences and experiences of hardship. I'm grateful that I faced them- even if begrudgingly- knowing that today I am better equipped than ever to navigate those potholes in the road.
 |
| walking home |
