When I started this little blog, I hoped it would motivate me to get my laundry room organized and eliminate clutter in my domestic church. The thought of taking pictures of my newly organized space and sharing successes in the hopes of helping other distracted moms inspired me. We had succeeded in painting just one short wall and organizing a few sections of the laundry room when the temporary lull in our family schedule disappeared. I haven't been able to finish anything else in that space since school started.
Last Friday, I finally moved the clutter out of the "family room" section of the basement and back into the laundry room since I know I won't be painting any other walls before Christmas. Back to square one! The section of the room that was destined to be a workout area is again full of boxes of clothing and art supplies that I haven't used in three years.
Which begs the question: Why can't I just finish the job? My blog post that has gotten the most traffic is "Maybe I have A.D.D," so I recognize that many of you must have similar struggles. Is it A.D.D. or something else? I know I have difficulty staying on task when I'm online. If I am grading student essays, I am often curious about ideas in their papers which prompt me to do a "quick" search. Next thing I know, I've checked two or three sites that are related to the essay. Then I notice that I have received a new email and take a moment to read the message. Next thing I know, I've spent 45 minutes to do a 15 minute task.
The problem isn't isolated to internet usage. My parents and grandma came to visit for my son's confirmation this past weekend. I was spinning in circles for days before they arrived. My timer helped me stay focused enough to keep the laundry up-to-date. However, everything else I did was interrupted by my own racing mind. Shaking the rugs from the bathroom would remind me to scrub the trash baskets which in turn would remind me that the wall in the kitchen had cobwebs on it. Meanwhile, I needed to make an urgent appointment at the pediatrician and buy groceries before taking one child to swimming and picking the other up from cross country. Not to mention music lessons. I chose to homeschool because we wanted to give our children a good, Catholic education, and because I wanted flexibility and family-control of our schedule. Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to give someone else control of the schedule--someone who has a better sense of time and the ability to say no.
My guess is that a lot of my readers who are finding me through a search about A.D.D. are equally scattered and busy. My friend told me about a "condition" called A.D.O.S.--Attention Deficit, Ooooooh Shiny! Those suffering A.D.O.S. are easily distracted by shiny objects or exciting things. The exciting things are my shiny objects. I often think I have time to do this little project or that fundraiser, and next thing I know I'm stressed out, behind on my work, and impatient.
Like I said, the children are involved in numerous activities which are all great for them. But driving them here, there, and everywhere leads to chaos. I long for simplicity, but thwart my own efforts by seeking out activities to fill the day.
Hurricane Sandy and the other two big storms are set to converge, which may lead to widespread power outages. Last October, our area suffered a week-long power outage. Other than being a bit chilly because our forced-air gas furnace relies on electricity, the week was great! We read books, spent time together, and didn't have to go anywhere for days. My A.D.D. or A.D.O.S. was gone for the week! I had clarity and focus, and the house stayed pretty clean. I honestly don't want the power to go out today, but I'm glad the outside activities are already cancelled. We'll "do school" this morning and maybe some baking as long as the power is on, and then just be together the rest of the day--sweetness !
Hope you are enjoying your time (but I really hope that the power stays on . . . so far, so good here.)!
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