One of my new organizational things for this year is "Office Day". This is the day I spend time sorting through the stack of papers on my desk, clean out one drawer of my desk, and make lists.
I like lists. They are visual and I am so very much a visual person! My girls know they can not rattle off a math problem from across the room and expect me to be able to help them. They have to bring me the book and even then I usually must re-write the problem, so I can "see" it.
With lists, I can cross off what's been done. Once the list is completely crossed off, there is a real sense of accomplishment; something that is rare in my current occupation of "Mom". When my husband calls and asks me about my day, I can look at my list and tell him exactly what I have done. I can know I did something, even if it feels like I did nothing but go in circles all day!
The list I recently created was of books. I think I have read every book that interested me at our library and I have recently been introduced to the Online Inter-Library Loan system for our library. From home I can find out if our library has a certain title. If it does not, I can request it from another library, and have it delivered to my library. When it arrives the librarians call me and let me know it is in. All for free!
So here is my list of books I "Want To Read". Some are fiction (F), some non-fiction (NF), and even a few children's books (C) I thought looked good. There are a couple of Young Adult (YA) books on the list that I will be reading before they are approved for the girls to read.
The Whispering Brook Farm Series by Carrie Bender (YA)
Steady Days by Jamie Martin (NF)
Where the Jewels Are by Diana Symons (C)
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (?)
Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider (NF)
Crazy Love by Francis Chan (NF)
That Camden Summer by LaVyrle Spencer (F)
A Golden Sunbeam by Carrie Bender (YA)
Believing God by R.C. Sproul Jr. (NF)
The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman (F)
A Dream Unfolding by Karen Baney (F)
Think by John Piper (NF)
The Egg by M.P. Roberston (C)
365 Thank Yous by John Kralik (NF)
Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer (F)
The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund (F)
Trion Rising-Shadowside Trilogy by Robert Elmer (C)
Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski (NF)
Family to Family by Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee (NF)
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione by Chuck Black (C)
I would love to hear from you if you have read any of these, or if you have any recommendations for me to add to my list.
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The "To Do" List
On one of our date nights, while walking the aisles at Lowes, sharing an iced coffee, Sam and realized that we each had our own ideas about what needed to be done around the house and how important each item was. So we decided to make a list with the expected costs and time frames of each project, as well as how important this project was to us.
Driving to church the next morning, out of the blue Sam exclaimed, "Side yard drainage!" and I responded with, "Mulch for gardens!". The children were convinced we had lost our minds, until we explained what we were doing. Then they began to chime in with their own project suggestions. While we won't be constructing a riding ring, a tree fort, might actually happen!
Later that week, we took all of our projects and put them into a spreadsheet form with estimated costs and estimated how much time we think it will take for us to complete the projects. Then we gave each item a level of priority based on need. Lastly, the projects were ranked for order of being done, based on the priority, money required, if Sam was required, and time needed to complete the project. For example, Cleaning the Windows (inside and out) was given a Low priority status, but being as it didn't require Sam to be home and only a few dollars for supplies, it was listed as the first project to be accomplished. Now, Back Pasture Fencing has a High priority rating, requires a couple hundred dollars and Sam to be home, so it was ranked third after Finishing Trim work in Bathroom, which had a Low priority and zero dollars, but required Sam. The patio is dead last on the list, despite the relatively low cost (we already have the patio bricks) and Medium priority rating, but it requires a lot of time and Sam's presence so it will have to wait.
I then got brave and had the program add up the costs and times for us to complete everything: $15,000 and one year. Now that one year would be if we worked on each project one right after the other, every day. So allowing for employment, weather, finances available, etc. we adjusted the time to be about five years.
Sam and I are now on the same page as to what needs to be done. The kids can see what is next on the list and because they were part of the planning, they feel some ownership in getting these projects finished. Because we know what project we are working on and which one will be next, I can be sure that we have all the supplies available for when the weather and Sam's availability align. This way we are not wasting time running around purchasing the items we need when we could be working on the project itself. The savings account now has concrete goals to be working towards, which is helping us to stay on budget. Whenever we want to spend money on something frivolous, we can redirect our spending towards completing the next project on the list.
The good news is we have already completed the first two on the list and started on the back pasture fencing. And who knows maybe, if we can stop adding items to the list, we could finish in less than five years!
Bwahahahahaha!
Then again, maybe not...
Driving to church the next morning, out of the blue Sam exclaimed, "Side yard drainage!" and I responded with, "Mulch for gardens!". The children were convinced we had lost our minds, until we explained what we were doing. Then they began to chime in with their own project suggestions. While we won't be constructing a riding ring, a tree fort, might actually happen!
Later that week, we took all of our projects and put them into a spreadsheet form with estimated costs and estimated how much time we think it will take for us to complete the projects. Then we gave each item a level of priority based on need. Lastly, the projects were ranked for order of being done, based on the priority, money required, if Sam was required, and time needed to complete the project. For example, Cleaning the Windows (inside and out) was given a Low priority status, but being as it didn't require Sam to be home and only a few dollars for supplies, it was listed as the first project to be accomplished. Now, Back Pasture Fencing has a High priority rating, requires a couple hundred dollars and Sam to be home, so it was ranked third after Finishing Trim work in Bathroom, which had a Low priority and zero dollars, but required Sam. The patio is dead last on the list, despite the relatively low cost (we already have the patio bricks) and Medium priority rating, but it requires a lot of time and Sam's presence so it will have to wait.
I then got brave and had the program add up the costs and times for us to complete everything: $15,000 and one year. Now that one year would be if we worked on each project one right after the other, every day. So allowing for employment, weather, finances available, etc. we adjusted the time to be about five years.
Sam and I are now on the same page as to what needs to be done. The kids can see what is next on the list and because they were part of the planning, they feel some ownership in getting these projects finished. Because we know what project we are working on and which one will be next, I can be sure that we have all the supplies available for when the weather and Sam's availability align. This way we are not wasting time running around purchasing the items we need when we could be working on the project itself. The savings account now has concrete goals to be working towards, which is helping us to stay on budget. Whenever we want to spend money on something frivolous, we can redirect our spending towards completing the next project on the list.
The good news is we have already completed the first two on the list and started on the back pasture fencing. And who knows maybe, if we can stop adding items to the list, we could finish in less than five years!
Bwahahahahaha!
Then again, maybe not...
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