Good Monday morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday yesterday. Our forecast all week had been for rain. And it did eventually rain yesterday, but the weather in the morning was beautiful. The skies were clear and the temperature was very pleasant for a sunrise service. (There have been years when the sunrise service required blankets!) After the sunrise service, we had a breakfast and then a “regular” morning service. I was in Junior Church. Not sure if it was the anticipation of egg hunting after church or the getting up before dawn, but Junior Church did not lack for energy and excitement. It was a fun morning. We found ourselves back home rather early and the rest of the day was, well, rather quiet. No egg hunts at our house. No little people. Just us old folks:) And it was a quiet day. I typically do not mind our quiet days but, for some reason yesterday, I felt like we were missing something. Can’t put my finger on it….
But this morning is a fresh start to the week. I usually look forward to that; however, this morning, life is still feeling a bit “quiet.” I don’t consider myself overscheduled or rarely would I describe myself as “so busy” – which I know makes me a bit of the odd duck – but I do have a “to-do” list (whether mental or written) and things I hope to accomplish each day and throughout the week. Some are routine and repeats of the prior weeks. Others, like a funeral tomorrow, are specific to this week. There are even specific tasks I believe the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart to be done. But there is still plenty of white space (and empty time) in my week ahead. Not only does this seem to pester me (which is another post altogther), but I am too often surprised, and often discouraged, just how much does not get finished each day and is carried over to the next (or the day after that!)
Why is that? In this season of life, I should be getting all the things done. And then some. Right?? Yes, procrastination can always be a problem. When I think I have plenty of time tomorrow, putting off things seems easy to do. I try to be aware of this. But procrastination is not the only problem. Or even the main problem, if I’m honest. Truth is…I am way too easily distracted.
Distractions. There is not shortage of them. The internet. Coffee breaks:) The phone. Pinterest. Well, the media in general. Interruptions from needy husbands (just kidding). Coffee breaks and my phone. Oh yeah, I mentioned those. The distractions are constant. If I am not careful, they will interrupt my devotions first thing in the morning and just follow me all day. I do tend to guard my quiet time carefully and am able to set aside the early distractions, but I am realizing I need more of this purposeful focused time throughout the day. Goodness but I can quickly lose my focus. I like to blame my age but, truthfully, it has much more to do with the world we leave in.
If I want to be a good steward of my time throughout the day, I need to focus. Focus and finish. (Especially with those tasks the Holy Spirit has given me each day!) Perhaps that means setting 30 minute blocks (or longer) of distraction free time to be focused and see a task finished. If a task takes more than 30 minutes, break it into smaller bites and finish one part each day. Taming the distractions might end up being the goal as much, if not more, than the tasks I accomplish. Not 100 percent sure where I am going with all this but just something that has been on my mind.
It is just a thought to myself as I begin a new week. It is a bit funny, I think, that this would be something I need to consider in this season. The season when I thought I would not only have more (plenty of time!) but would also be so efficient and productive. It still takes determination, priorities, focus – and less distractions – in order to use my time wisely. Here’s to a good week ahead. One that is not only productive but blessed and rewarding as well. Thanks for stopping by –
I feel like I am in the same boat. I assumed that with grown kids I would have oodles of free time to accomplish things, but I end up making my lists the enemy of my day. I am working on leaving more blank spaces and giving myself longer timelines.
A good plan, Gina! Funny the assumptions we have for different stages of life!! Happy Monday to you –
Happy Monday, Jennifer! I have always thought of Monday as a fresh slate for the coming week. I think in this season of my life, while time passes quickly, I need the structure that I had while working. It helps me to utilize my time more wisely. But, I am also up for spontaneous activities like if a friend emails and wants to get together for lunch or coffee or a trip to the cross stitch shop. And sometimes, I just need a few hours or even a day where nothing on my to do list happens and I spend the time stitching and reading more. Enjoy your day.
I do miss the structure that came while I was working…but I am happy to much more often be able to meet with friends for coffee of lunch! That is a perk!:) Hope your day includes some stitching!! Always glad when you stop by –
Everything you wrote resonates with me! I sometimes can’t believe how little I accomplish in a day. Sometimes, when the day is spread out before me with few things that I *have* to do, I feel like I squander the time more readily. I need deadlines and shorter periods of free time, I think. Distractions are REAL! Glad your weather was nice for Easter. Ours was not. It was COLD but we made do! I’m sure you’re a huge blessing to your church and the families whose kids are in junior church.
I need deadlines, too. And a schedule (much like a deadline). Just when I thought I would love having neither!! Thanks for your kind comment, Maria!
I have been struggling with distractions. I have let worry get the best of me as of late. I find myself trying to find news about the current war. I need to let it go and TRUST.
I have been working on balancing my time.
I appreciated your honest post.
Carla
No doubt, we all need to let go more. And trust more!! Thanks, Carla!
I’m a list keeper and a journal keeper. Done it for so many years it’s the natural thing I do. I have kept a journal in the kitchen and have recorded everthing I eat each day. To some that would seem extreem, but it’s kept me at the same weight (within a couple pounds) for many years, and I enjoy doing it. Weight journals, prayer journals, sketching journals…guess it’s just my DNA. Routine is good, and I have one for my daily Bible Reading, study and meditation. I am a work in progress and guess I will be till the Lord comes or takes me home. Right now as I approach 85 in a couple of weeks….I love my life.
I very much enjoyed ready your post and gives me more insight to who you are. I really like you! haha. Have a great day.
Wanda – I am so glad to get your comment. I’m always glad when you stop by. You are right – routine is good! I have never done well with journaling but I have always heard of its many, many benefits! Thanks for sharing. And, yes, we are all works in progress, aren’t we?:)
Well, this is so amazing. I LITERALLY have been dealing with this issue which I kind of eluded to a few posts back. Struggling with the white space in the empty nest season. It has been a hard one. I too have used this space to become distracted and even a little lazy in some ways. I actually have a post on my heart this week about it and how I hope to help myself dig out of this rut. I have been procrastinating too. Sigh. 🙁
My words for the year are Quiet and Stewardship. I want to be a good steward of my time and days as well.
Chrissy – I look forward to reading your post relating to distractions, being a bit lazy (although you never appear lazy!) and the like. Stewardship is an excellent word for the years. We are all called to be good stewards, aren’t we? Blessings to you today –
Jennifer, I can definitely relate to this. I have so many issues regarding time 🙂 As I posted last week (about margin), it’s great to have margin in our days. But that margin can get used up by junk (scrolling and for me, it’s following stories on YouTube that have nothing to do with my life). I always have a list of what needs to be done that day, but when I have down time, I often can’t relax because I feel guilty or lazy for taking a break. For 20 years I had my kids at home and I homeschooled them. Yet, here I am in the season where my time should be my own, yet I feel guilty for sitting down. I don’t know who I’m trying to prove my worth to, but it can get exhausting. And focus…that is a chore. I usually save my quiet time for a little later in the morning when I’ve gotten out all my morning energy and then I can sit and focus. I do think it’s our society now. We have lost the ability to focus because there is so much coming at us (by our own choice too) and it’s just information overload.
Anyway, great topic today. Apparently you’re not alone 🙂
I so relate to this and continue to be surprised by the busy-ness of life in this season. I thought we’d be looking for things to do and instead we seem to always be trying to cut something out and get a nap instead lol. I do give myself permission to drink my coffee leisurely, to not feel like we have to always be rushing and going and doing. We enjoy a lot of that but I’m better at giving myself permission to read a book for no reason or sit on the porch with my hubs. It takes some figuring out but we have a pretty good rhythm now. We’ve been retired for a decade so we’ve had time to find balance. Enjoy this season. There are many blessings too.
The new rhythm does take some figuring out, doesn’t it? I still doing some figuring…but I appreciate your encouragment. And good advice!! Thanks, Joyce!
Hello Jennifer, we have had a rainy few days but the sun was shining today, though a little chillier, especially this evening. We had a lovely Easter thank you. I remember in our last home we used to have Easter Egg hunts every year. I miss those. I am blaming my age for legs that aren’t as steady as they used to be, which keeps me home on bad days. Good job I am a homebody, smiling here. Wishing you much joy this coming week. Hugs, Denise
Denise, I miss Easter egg hunts at home, too. And matching Easter outfits for my kiddos. All the celebrating the season and holidays with little ones:)
I like that focus and finish. That should be a bumper sticker. Or fridge magnet. I do pretty well but am no stranger to distractions either!! It has helped me to try to identify what keeps me from accomplishing things. And prioritizing what I want to accomplish each day. I have a long list of to-dos each week and love checking things off the list. Some of the activities are silly for me to list because I am going to do them even if they aren’t on a to-do list…like laundry. But I love checking things off.
My PC wants to be on the go all of the time. He loves shopping, running errands, eating fast food, meandering at the mall. I have many things I want to do at home so I try to limit our running to about 2 days a week. It is always quiet around here after the grands have been over but I love the quiet, too. Guess that goes with being a librarian.
I do quiet time a close to first thing in the morning as possible. And then I check my to-do list. Love that we can be outside for breakfast and quiet time these days.