Although I haven't written anything about it, I have been working hard on my "one word" for 2010: FOCUS. I determined when I picked this word that I would focus on different things each month so that I wouldn't be overwhelmed with all I wanted to focus on this year. I mean, seriously, you can't call it "focusing" if you're jumping from one thing to the next as we tend to do as mothers.
So, I'm just reporting on my monthly focuses so far. Because for some reason if I post about it, it makes me more accountable.
My January focus was LAUNDRY. I know, call me crazy...there are MUCH more important things to focus on than laundry of all things. But laundry is my most dreaded household task, and a large part of what I want to focus on this year is becoming a "Professional Mother." And part of that to me is being a "Professional Housewife" too. This is my day (and night) job and I want to do it well. That means I better sure as heck be able to do a little laundry without turning all my whites pink.
Sure, I can do laundry. I've been very "laundry-capable" since before I was a teenager. But I've never really become a specialist. I want to know all the ins and outs of getting stains out and keeping up clothes like my sister-in-laws do. Well, I'm pleased to report that our laundry is in good shape. I've figured out all the special cycles on my washing machine and I've made my whites whiter. I have a good schedule running to get all 4-5 loads folded and put right away in the same morning. And that feels good.
Next up is figuring out a system for the kids to do their own. They help me fold when they're around, and yes, like many other things it's much easier to do on my own. But Max and Elle are totally old enough and I need to get them going.
In February I focused on FAMILY MEALS. We have always been pretty good at having family meals, but dinner was starting to slip into a later and later time slot which really messed up our night-time routine. Dave suggested we start having family dinners at 5:30 rather than 6:00 so we could get to homework, practicing, the bed-time routine and all that jazz earlier and at first I said no way. We couldn't make it work. But we tried and I have to say it has worked wonders (thanks Dave). We still can't quite get it down to a science since our kids are signed up for WAY too much right now, but I started planning meals on Sundays for the week, making sure I had dinner prepped before the kids started trickling in from school, and man oh man those two little teeny things made all the difference. I also started a weekly routine of making home-made whole-wheat bread (and I didn't even post pictures here if you can believe it...recipe coming). It feels good.
In March my focus is SPIRITUALITY or as someone put it in church today "opening my spiritual eyes" more. This was tipped off by that great Motherhood Retreat I had last weekend. I've been lagging a little on what's most important as little trivial things have been seeping in and grabbing big chunks of my time.
So, I'll be back to report later. But for now I must go finish folding laundry!Labels: focus, motherhood
