Scheduling

Time to get more organized. I find (like many of us) when I'm busiest, I'm often most productive. When I've got idle time on my hands, I get little accomplished. To ward against that, I'm going to get organized. I figure the more efficiently I use my time, not only do I get more work done, but I'll have more energy and time to spend with my boys.

We're thinking of renewing our au pair for the coming year, but cutting back to the educares level, which would be about 30 hours a week of childcare, allowing her time to take 12 units of classes, instead of the current 6. That would be her preference, and it would save us some dough.

Assuming we're still here in the fall, and I don't have a full-time gig, I might like to take the boys two days per week on my own, instead of the current one. That would leave me three days to get work done, and a weekend with the family. We're also planning to get The Painter in a preschool, two or three half-days per week. That'll cost something, but it'd be good to get him more socialized, and for us to meet other parents. We're pretty much loners. So, we've got to work against that tendency.

In any case, money isn't really the issue. We've always lived within our means, and found a way to save for future dreams and such. The real issue is happiness. And I'm happiest when I feel my work makes a contribution to bettering the world, to furthering our knowledge and understanding. And so, I must work, research, publish, and present. I'll do that even if I open a cafe.

Meantime, scheduling. I've started by keeping track of the time I spend doing what, like a calorie counter marking their intake. I'll do that for a week, and see what it tells me. Then I can budget my time, allotting time for specific tasks, setting my priorities.

One of those priorities is getting back in shape. I did my 21 minute ride on the bicycle trainer today. Then a shower. I feel energized, awake, and alive.