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Saturday, November 03, 2012

Quitting before I start

As always, I have a tendency to take on more projects than I can reasonably handle.  I'm all "ooh, shiny!" about new things, especially crafty ones, and before I know it, I have 37 things competing for my very limited non-sleeping, non-baby-nursing-changing-soothing, non-preschooler-entertaining, non-housework time.  

Here's the list of what I'm supposedly doing right now:
  1. Easing back into Paleo eating - this week, no sugar.  Failed miserably thanks to Halloween.
  2. Meal planning and actual cooking (as opposed to eating out or heating up Frozen Things.)
  3. 30 Days of Thankful mini-scrapbook album
  4. Cut It Out Silhouette online crafty class at Studio Calico
  5. Project Life
  6. Finishing the mini-scrapbook of T and my trip to Portland in July
  7. Setting up the class photo sharing site for T's preschool
  8. Staying on top of laundry (how does one tiny person generate so much?!)
  9. NaBloPoMo
  10. Setting up my December Daily mini scrapbook album once the kit shows up mid-month
  11. Crafty projects for Christmas gifts (calendars, photobooks, M's birth announcement)
  12. Sending out holiday cards (end of month)
  13. Understanding and enrolling in my health insurance plan for next year
  14. Creating and submitting some cards and scrapbook layouts for publications
  15. Submitting an application or two for crafty "creative teams"
  16. Selling craft supplies I'm no longer using online
  17. Making pet ID tags for a few repeat Etsy customers who requested them
It sounds insane when I spell it out, doesn't it?  So I'm likely to ditch NaBloPoMo and slow the clock WAY down on the non-time-sensitive crafty projects.  I'll probably save 2012's photo book for January.  

We can check off "voting" as complete.


I've made great progress on the Portland trip mini album - the whole album is assembled and my photos are printed, and everything is together in one box.  It can rest while I complete some of these other things.

I can't ever seem to get it together in time to make stuff for craft magazine publication calls. I think I have so many projects going, that making cards specifically for the themes requested is way, way down on the list.  I might need to let this one go.  Same for applying to "creative teams", which is basically free labor.  Companies send you free stuff, and in exchange, you make projects with them  and tout their wares.  Sounds like a lot of fun, but it's work with specific deadlines.

What I need to make a priority is my health.  I'm one of those lucky people who loses weight relatively easily while breastfeeding, so if I can harness that chi and combine it with eating right for my body (which is definitely Paleo), I think I can get things under control without having to commit to a major exercise program or restricted diet.  

Now that T is older, I'm also starting to realize the importance of setting a good example.  We tell her she can only have one "treat food" a day, so it doesn't make sense for her to see us chowing down on candy bars and soda multiple times.  

I spend NO time on meal planning - we just shop a couple of times a week and put together meals from what we have so it's often very random.  And then there are MANY times where none of it sounds good so we end up going out.  I need more of a plan, and more stuff prepared ahead of time.  Now that it's fall, I can start using the crockpot again - making a batch of oatmeal weekly has been working quite well.  Not rocket science, but it requires dedicated time.

So while I should be the proud owner of an "I'd rather be crafting" bumper sticker, I do need to cut back on all the open projects.  Right now it's just going to be 30 Days of Thankful, and Project Life since they're time sensitive and I've made great progress on both.

Priorities.  I'd love your take on this.  What do you think is important, and what should go?

8 comments:

  1. Ok, for dinners, check out this post - it's crock-pot meals that you assemble ahead of time and freeze. When you want to eat them, you drop them into the crock pot and you're done. For the ones that use chicken, I only pre-assembled the sauce part, because we use frozen chicken breasts anyway, so I just grab those, thaw the sauce, and pour it over. I made 4 of the ones on this page for our freezer, and have tried the honey-garlic chicken and hawaiian chicken so far - both were yummy. (on the hawaiian chicken I used extra pineapple and skipped the sugar you're supposed to add - I just couldn't add 1/2 cup of sugar to *dinner*) http://www.savingyoudinero.com/2012/06/12/1-hour-1-mess-5-crock-pot-meals/

    I agree that you should definitely scale back the non-time sensitive craft stuff! I try to pick *one thing* at a time - this month, first I was figuring out pirate costumes for David and I for a party. Then it was kids-costumes. Now I am *determined* to make a tree skirt! (it's been on the list for 2 years - this year is the year!) I also am trying to finish another family photo album for Christmas - I can use it as a present for the grandparents if I do! But those two are *it*. If I finish one, I'll pick something else. I do best with a serial process - maybe that would help you, too. (though if your creativity is benefited from flitting from one thing to the next, maybe pick a handful?)

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm much better with serial projects too. I just get distracted by all the shiny new possibilities...

      Thanks for the crockpot link - that looks awesome!

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  2. Is oatmeal paleo?

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    1. Sadly, no, but I make an exception since I'm nursing plus T eats it too. And right now I'm so far from Paleo that oatmeal is the least of my problems...

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  3. Boy, do I hear you on the long list of things I want to do. And then there's the list of things that I really should do, but don't really want to (hello, housework!). I'll probably keep NaBloPoMo on my list, since it's helping me focus on one day at a time.

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    Replies
    1. Focus is your One Little Word, right?

      Housework sucks. It just can't be ignored for too long. Laundry is sucking the life out of me right now.

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    2. Yes, it is. Good point. =) I feel like I've had mixed success with it so far this year. But the year's not over yet, and right now I feel like I might be making some progress.

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  4. So when I get a long list of things to "craft" - none of them are ever really important in the grand scheme of things - just to me, I tend to work on the quick ones first. I like to cross things off the list. So if I can spend a short amount of time crossing something off, I do that first. I also don't have a newborn or a 3 YO. = )

    And considering that I have neither, I'm feeling a little less than adwquate knowing I have no such list like you and I have WAY more time on my hands. = )

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