In my last post I analysed my sample day and determined that a change of working hours was required. I then evaluated my new day layout over a weekend and a working day.
I am delighted to report that my new system worked extremely well. I got everything done in the mornings that I needed to get done, and had days that were at once productive, calm and enjoyable. This worked fantastically well over the weekend, and also on Monday when I returned to work.
Tuesday was Christmas Eve, and although it ought to have started well just like the other days, I broke my toe before I was even dressed. Not one of those vestigial little toes on the outside that don't really do anything, but one of the long middle ones. This really put a crimp in everything, as my movements are now slow and constrained, and further, the lack of physical activities such as vigorous housework and walking and playing wtih my dog means that I am not sleeping as well as before, and also that I have less energy through the day and particularly when I wake up in the morning, which has always been my best time.
Further, the mere fact of Christmas, with all of its entertaining, and drinking, and fancy food, further both took up what energy I did have, and diverted my use of it, so that if I weren't lucky enough to have the Perfect Husband, we would now be pretty well drowning in squalor. Therefore, I've managed little other than being nice to my guests and a bit of washing up. I did get a little work done on Boxing Day in the morning, before our guest arrived, and finished a couple of things, which was pleasing.
So now, with Christmas behind us, in my newly impaired state, it's time to take another look. What else has changed? How can I refine the system? Or is it better to hold off on further messing with it until my foot is repaired?
One thing my life has taught me is that making things consequent on other things is rarely, if ever, a good idea. We've all been there. Oh you'll take that trip/lose weight/quit smoking when work settles down and your life is less stressful, will you? Good luck with that. Therefore, I'm not inclined to postpone my lifestyle review just because of this injury. A good daily structure should be able to cope with these things, even if it's disrupted for a few days just at first.
So the new hours are working for me, or they were, anyway, and further, I'm happy to say that I'm once again waking up at a sensible time in the morning, 4:30, 5 a.m., so that's very nice to have. But the fact is that the morning list was based on the assumption that I'd be bustling briskly about, fully mobile and all bushy-tailed with morning energy. And I'm just not; not physically anyway, although I feel bright enough now I've sat down at my keyboard.
So, I review the morning list. The only really physical things on it are the housework, and walking my dog. My husband can take my dog for a walk for me, and the housework...well, perhaps I just need to lower my expectations a bit. Once the first few days are past, it ought to be possible to do everything, just not as fast, so perhaps there will be a little more dust, perhaps the linens won't be changed quite so often, but whatever.
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| This dodgy character needs plenty of exercise. |
So, another evaluation day is called for, I think, once I've had a few more days to shake down.
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