Do Five Things

I've been fighting a bit of lack of productivity lately, so I've come up with a system to bribe myself. It's called, Do Five Things. So during my morning if I feel I need a break and I want to read, I stop myself and count how many things I've actually gotten done. If the number isn't 5 or higher, then I can't read. Ditto afternoon naps.

I'm also strict about what counts as a "thing". Working out does count. Showering does not. Loading or unloading the dishwasher counts. Making meals doesn't. Putting in a load of laundry counts. Diaper changes don't.

I've just boiled it down to if-I-decided-to-spend-the-entire-day-in-bed scenario, what would I still do? I would still shower, I would make meals and keep the baby's bum clean. So none of those things count.

The bad thing is, that even when I'm getting 8, 9, 10 things done in a day, I tend to be haunted by what I didn't get done. Instead of thinking, "Oh good, I went to the bank, picked up the dress, loaded the dishwasher, cleaned up Nate and Annika's room and bought wedding presents," I tend to think, "Drat! I didn't pay that bill, mop the floor, fold the laundry, sort that project or email that person."

Positive self-talk. That's my struggle right now. It's as if someone has pulled out one of those carnival mirrors that distort everything and that's how I see my whole life. As a series of failures. Everything I'm not doing. There is almost not an area of my life where I don't feel like I'm failing.

So I stay after it. And I'll do five things. Today I'm going to deliver a belated wedding present, sort my stamps (a child of mine removed a single stamp from some 6-7 stamp sets and now I have to figure out which stamp goes to which set, sigh), pay the credit card bill, change sheets and do dishes. After a reading brake, I'll probably try to mop the floor and fold laundry. Wish me luck.