Cluttered

A busy school year is winding down, and I am left with a messy office at work and a messy home. Magazines, books, files, clothes, all spilling over. How did it get so bad? One word: over-committed. Too many responsibilities, not enough time between, and so things get piled up instead of put away.

I have serious clutter. I can find anything, it's just that some things live out in the open instead of being nicely tucked away. I truly believe that the physical clutter is an indication of how cluttered my life is with activities. Even though I have learned to say no, some opportunities are too good to pass up, and I end up over-committed. One huge commitment ends this month, and another commitment has a watershed moment at the end of this year. I am already telling myself to not fill up the extra time with more activities!

Two of my favorite websites offer help for this condition:

• Zen Habits offers numerous posts on doing less and dealing with clutter.


• The Flylady offers routines for dealing with and eliminating CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome).

I'm ready to go!

Senioritis and productivity

I have a bad case of senioritis. I have had a difficult time this semester getting motivated to write my term paper. I switched topics last week, which is uncharacteristic of me. Zenhabits recently posted an article about procrastination. Two points stood out to me:

1. First make sure you really, really, really want to do it. Seriously - don’t skip this step.
8. Find something about it that excites you.

Ah, I really, really, really did NOT want to pursue my previous topic. Once changed, I made progress. The difference between topics? Dread vs. enthusiasm. My first topic was "good for me," something I felt I needed to learn. But, I was not passionate about it and it was not relevant to my current job. My new topic is fascinating and something I can use in my current job. So while I was annoyed at myself for changing topics, it was absolutely the right decision.


I have three more classes left in my master's program, and at one class per semester that means another year of school. However, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I found myself wondering last week whether or not I would attend the graduation ceremony - nothing like planning a year ahead!

Busy, Lazy, or Productive?

For the last five months, I have been so busy during the work week that I find myself compensating by being lazy on weekends. Work responsibilities, reading and doing homework for the courses I'm taking, and my MLA responsibilities keep me pretty busy, and while the last two are temporary, they won't let up anytime soon. I am so exhausted from the busy week, I often spend my weekend sleeping late, napping, catching up on DVR-ed shows, and reading. I feel guilty about crashing on weekends, because I'm not doing my share of the housekeeping. Fortunately, I have a great hubby who helps without complaint (most of the time!).

Neither extreme, busy or lazy, is productive. While I keep up with work, school, and MLA activities, I find myself frantically changing hats throughout the day. Despite how fast I juggle hats, I often feel behind. Perception is reality.

The Zen Habits blog had a recent post about laziness, called the Lazy Manifesto. Several points jumped out at me:

"Lazy means that your body and mind are tired and want to rest."

"But if instead you define “productivity” as a means of making the most of your actions, of the time you spend working (or doing anything), of being as effective as possible, then Do Less is the best way to be productive."

So this week, I plan to focus on productivity. Instead of trying to do it all, being exhausted, and having no energy on weekends, I plan to do the essential few things that will help me achieve my goals and the goals of those for whom I work/volunteer.

Life lessons learned at Walt Disney World

Rick and I visited Walt Disney World in early December 2008. Here are some life lessons I took away from this visit to Disney:

Soarin’, Epcot:
Reasonable risks are worth taking. I would NEVER go hang gliding on a real hang glider. But Disney’s version is lots of fun!

Mission: SPACE, Epcot:
Just say no. I am not a rocket scientist. I went on this ride a few years ago, before they offered the non spinning version. I refused to go on the ride this time, even though they offer the “less intense” version now. Once is enough.

Toy Story, Disney Hollywood Studios:
Hard work can be fun!
Hard work pays off!

Tower of Tower, Disney Hollywood Studios:
Never say never! I refused to ride this ride a few years ago when we last visited Disney. This time, it was the first ride we went on when we entered the park. I was happily surprised – this ride rocks!

Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, The Magic Kingdom:
Laughter is more powerful, and more motivating, than fear.
Be ware of video cameras in public places.

Space Mountain, The Magic Kingdom:
When people are scared in the dark, their reactions can be surprising. Rick screamed during the whole ride, while I laughed. Not at him, but at the thrill of the ride.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Magic Kingdom
Some things in life are just as good the second time around.
And, cliche but true: Life is a roller coaster. The downs help you gain momentum for the ups. But real roller coasters are more thrilling than life’s ups and downs.