When Flying Becomes Falling

Ok, so for several weeks I did just fine flying along as happy as can be. Keeping things clean and tidy, doing daily missions and so on. This morning I awoke to a filthy kitchen (thankfully not as bad as before I started flying) and an all around dirty house. I have to be honest with myself. I just got lazy. A lot of people have actual reasons getting in the way of their housework. They're busy, they work full time outside the home, their kids need a lot of attention that week due to illness or personal problems. They have too many negative voices in their heads, a lot of baggage, emotional problems, whatever it is. Me? My biggest trip? I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT. That's it. That's all she wrote.

I knew there was a sink of dirty dishes when I grabbed a plate of brownies and went to bed. I knew they were still there when I got back up and grabbed a healthier salad and returned to bed. And yes, when I got up for a 3rd brownie. . . they were still there. And of course they were there again when I woke this morning.

So now, where does that leave me? What am I supposed to do about it? I can't give up. . . there are those nasty voices telling me I failed yet again. . . but I haven't. I just had a fairly busy and emotional week. I didn't feel like doing anything, so I didn't.

I could blame it on the class I gave a presentation in on Saturday. I could blame it on all the work I got done sewing up soakers for the sale on this coming Saturday. Or I could face facts. I didn't get too busy. I just allowed myself to get too tired. I need to come up with an action plan for those weeks (lets face it. . . I"ll have one of those weeks every single month for a while now ~blushing~) when I just want to eat brownies and pout all day.

Well, here's my plan. And here's how I built it, so you can do this too when you come across a pitfall.

First, lets list the problem(s):

1. I start off pretty good during the day, but peter out at night. I'm more likely to give up after 4pm than any other time of day
2. Once the kids go to bed I'm just done. I"m wasted. . . emotionally and physically. I want to go to bed, watch tv, stuff my face and maybe, just maybe knit/read a book.
3. I tend to run off to sulk when I"m upset, feeling confronted, or overwhelmed.
4. I feel like The Hubs isn't helping, even though he is (proof is the beautifully cleaned boys room! and more that he did this weekend!)
5. I don't feel like the zones are working out for me very well right now.(yeah I"m getting a lot done, but It's not helping me build any habits, and I"m really just cleaning 'around' the mess, as in picking up junk to dust under it.)
6. last but not least. . . I am actually really busy (and yeah, a little stressed) over my 'opening debut' at Circle ME during their REdiaper sale this Saturday.

Now it's time to list the solutions to these problems:

1. The quick and easy solution would be to take some 'me time' right at 3:30 to wind myself up for the rest of the day. However, that's when the 5 schoolagers I sit for get out of school. No real 'me time' there. Maybe instead I could focus on having the house done and ready when we get home from school. I could also have snack set up and waiting, so all they have to do is sit, eat and run off to play. While they're enjoying snack I can make myself a cup of coffee and a healthy snack. Then I can relax while they play. I should also have dinner started/ready to go before picking them up from school. It's too much to try and work dinner into the mix while they're all in my house, and I can't leave them outside while I work inside. So having everything done and ready should make it a little easier and less stressful to get started right after they leave.
2. I can try and have my dishes and housework done before the kids go to bed. Maybe The Hubs can help with this. This way I CAN be done when the kids go to bed.
   
3. Working on my routines or other house work when I'm feeling negative may be difficult at first, but maybe I can build it into a new therapeutic habit.
4. Maybe talking to The Hubs can help us to communicate the best way to help each other out. If we knw exactly what's needed then filling those needs can be achieved easier.
5. I should write my own missions for the different zones for awhile. This would be simple basic things. Like tidying the room on Monday, then Tues-Fri detailing different areas 15 minutes at a time. When I find that it's not taking long to clean and detail I can add Kelly's missions in as needed and doable. I hope this should support my new habits rather than distract from them.
6. This will be over for awhile after Saturday. I"ll give myself the rest of that weekend off and plan myself a birthday party for the following Saturday night with the girls.

Ok, you can see how I did it, and what areas I'm struggling with. I hope that this has maybe helped you too. I am not moving on any further until I get out of my 'slump'.

Keep Flying!!