Schedules.

Here's a rough drawing of the spreadsheet schedule I am putting together in Excel.

What I am really liking is the feeling that I have some sort of a guide as I go through the day. I have prioritized what I want to have happen (such as exercise) and know that it needs to be a part of my day at some point.

The overall schedule is basic. One column for time of day. One column for my activity at that time. One column for what Chris and Simon are doing at that time. One column that simply lists the everyday tasks/goals I am focusing on. And one column for ongoing work stuff.

My activity column includes blocks for work which can be broken down into chunks of time depending on the projects at hand.

Some other things I am working on:
• getting up earlier so that  I have time before Simon gets up to have a cup of coffee, read the paper, and get a start on my day without feeling rushed
• having the dishes done in the evening before bed (or in the morning before taking Simon to school): I am one of those people that need to have a clean kitchen before getting to work
• daily exercise: most likely in the morning right after I take Simon to school (or before I pick him up in the afternoon)
• creating a separation between work time & life time: setting specific hours for my work and working so that I can complete my resposibilities during that time and not feel like I have to be working when I should be playing/relaxing/achieving that balance that we all need (this is a big challenge of working at home)
• making time to read one of the millions of books I have around here everyday
• planning our meals ahead of time

So far it has also helped me in setting up some food goals for Simon at dinner. Last night I put together a choice paper for him where he needs to pick one fruit, one veggie, and one meat as he works for his chosen treat (this is a whole other issue that I am finally ready to really get serious about - and one of the reasons why I chose to be home - needing that consistent dinner-at-the-table routine). It worked well last night and mirrors a similar set-up he uses at school.

I am not being super rigid (like looking at the clock and immediately changing what I am working on at that moment), but I am feeling good about laying this all out and literally seeing a schedule for myself. I need this bit of structure to get me going in the right direction. Overall it is simply making me more aware.

Awareness is good.