I have always prided myself on being a laid-back kind of girl. No rigid routines. No crazy procedures. No Meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday at our house. Nope. The words that I use to describe myself are words like "easy going" and "flexible."Those are adjectives that I'm happy to be associated with. (Yes, I know I just ended a sentence with a preposition, but because I'm rolling with the punches, I'm happy to look the other way.) But I've reached a point in my life where the going with the flow means shit doesn't get done.
Appointments get missed because they weren't immediately put into the family calendar that resides on our phones. Late night writing sessions occur because suddenly instead of having four weeks to get eight articles written, I have two days. Boys go commando under their shorts (not that they're complaining) because I forgot to wash the load of dirty underwear sitting in the hallway. The gym membership goes paid for, but unused, because the thought of "I need to exercise" somehow doesn't translate into actual exercise without some planning and dedication.
It's time, I'm afraid, for me to pull out the "s" word. No, not the one I've already used. The other one. The one that makes me want to a choke a little bit just saying it.
"Structure."
I'm envisioning before and after school checklists for the kids. Family calendar meetings on Sundays after church to plan for the week ahead. A writing schedule for myself so that all of my assignments get the attention they deserve. A routine school-work-gym schedule that fills everyone's needs.
In some ways, the implementation of more structure in my life feels a little like my carefree self has been defeated. That there will be some anal list-maker type standing over my shoulder saying "I told you so." (Sally from Mike Myers' "The Cat in the Hat" movie, anyone?) Yet there is a part of me that is deliciously tempted by the promise of order and sanity.
Maybe I will find that being a little more organized in my approach to life will actually leave more room to be easy-going, instead of rushed and harried, trying to catch up in those places where I've fallen behind. Or maybe it will suck.
Who knows? But I'm willing to give it a try.
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5 comments:
I was always so organized (naturally) that keeping a written schedule was (literally) a waste of time and paper. Then I started getting older. Sigh! Now I keep several calendars and have alerts popping up with reminders several times a day.
I have been trying to be laid back these last few weeks of summer. Until I looked and realized how many appointments we had in the next week alone. Organization, here I come.
And btw, sometimes I think it sounds better to end a sentence with a preposition. ;)
I'm with Shell on the whole preposition thing.
This was a great, fun read. I loved it.
And related just a little bit too well.... :)
I wish I could without a calendar of what's going on in this house. I'm afraid if I went without it we'd be without milk and eggs in 20 minutes!
I think you're exactly right...being a little more organized will help you enjoy the "unscheduled" time much more. Good luck!
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