On one of my blog post from mid last week, my friend Erick pointed out that an ideal week should include more of him in it. Good point. I have so many more priorities (and people I'd like to see / skype!) that didn't make the list that I tried to follow last week. I knew this even while I tried it, but I do think I learned from the attempt.
It's much more reasonable to try to accomplish a list of priorities in the span of a week or two, with bursts of accomplishment as well as lulls. For example, for several hours straight on Sunday, Tory and I cleaned the house and organized our spaces. And on Saturday, we did an experimental endeavor - a photo shoot with friends that I'm submitting to a small fashion magazine. Collaborative art is always a priority which we rarely manage to fit in.
Overall though, it was a great week. It didn't feel overwhelming or painstaking to do the things I had on the list and more than that even. The things that could wait, I still didn't do, which is how it always is with priorities. The real priorities actually get done.
It's much more reasonable to try to accomplish a list of priorities in the span of a week or two, with bursts of accomplishment as well as lulls. For example, for several hours straight on Sunday, Tory and I cleaned the house and organized our spaces. And on Saturday, we did an experimental endeavor - a photo shoot with friends that I'm submitting to a small fashion magazine. Collaborative art is always a priority which we rarely manage to fit in.
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | ||||
| get up: 7:45am | get up: 7:30am | x | sleep in | x | sleep in | ||
| x | wear something creative / do hair | x | wear something creative / do hair | morning yoga | morning reflection time | ||
| x | make a smoothie or eat breakfast | x | make a smoothie or eat breakfast | Farmers Market before 1pm | x | general picking up / cleaning | |
| x | work | bike to work | x | clean and refresh the house | x | water the plants | |
| x | general picking up / cleaning | x | work summer hours - afternoon free | x | water the plants | x | wear something creative |
| x | big costco run / hang out with neighbors | x | vaccuum | sweep | x | see Tory's family | |
| x | take supplements | x | water the plants | x | activities together | Solomon's Porch | |
| bedtime: 11pm | sweep | x | see good friends | prepare/freeze lunches | |||
| clean the bathroom | make our own bread | ||||||
| x | personal hobbies | x | take supplements | ||||
| x | a small adventure or activity | x | bedtime: 11:30pm | ||||
| additions | additions | additions | |||||
| x | fashion design related meeting | x | see friends | x | clean for hours! | ||
| x | see friends | x | art / photoshoot | x | swimming! | ||
| x | make smoothies | x | make smoothies |
Overall though, it was a great week. It didn't feel overwhelming or painstaking to do the things I had on the list and more than that even. The things that could wait, I still didn't do, which is how it always is with priorities. The real priorities actually get done.
The main thing I can't seem to make time for when I fit in all my priorities is intentional rest. Yoga, reading, quiet walks. None of those things I manage to fit into a week. Even when I'm tired, I feel like there's something I want to be doing (like editing Jolene's wedding!). We took our old neighbor kids for a swim yesterday and they talked about being bored this summer. Tory and I both said the same thing - I wish I had time to be bored! On a macro scale, I hope that life can come in phases and swells of prolificness just like a span of a few weeks does. In the next phase of life, I really really want to build in slowness. Pauses. Time to read and stretch and wander.
In this phase though, Tory started a thankfulness prayer before we fall asleep. Sometimes he falls asleep during it. Sometimes I don't go to bed in time to join him for it. But I hope that more peace grows out of including more thankfulness in our lives.
Oh and we cancelled Netflix!
Oh and we cancelled Netflix!
