Plan the plans, not the results.
So helpful, this week and, actually, in all things where one's expectations get in the way of one's serenity.
As I've gotten, ahem, older, I've found my stamina to be somewhat less than greatly reduced from years past. Planning to stretch the housecleaning project over several days seemed like a good idea when I started, but yesterday was the perfect day to just do it all at once.
Well, perfect in one way: My husband was gone most of the day and, thus, not in my way. He's most unhelpful when it comes to housework. Not his fault: He was a doted-upon only child whose family did him no favors by not teaching him how to cook, clean, do laundry, etc.
In order to vacuum, mop, dust, clean bathrooms, do laundry and fix dinner by 5:45 (when I leave for my volunteer gig on Tuesdays) I had to give up my walk. I got a good workout in, including some heavy lifting, but doing housework doesn't feel like a workout to me.
It just feels like work. Heh. And I sure was tired when I was done.
So, back to expectations. And I've written about this before, many times before, I'm sure you're both tired of reading it. If I eat healthful meals and get about an hour of intentional exercise daily, I would hope to drop a few avoirdupois. I don't think I should drop a few overnight. I'd be happy with a few a month, one a week, even two a month would be progress.
There's no progress. I guess the plan will be to continue eating healthful meals and getting an hour of intentional exercise daily just because. The result could be anything: I could ward off disease or I could drop over with a heart attack. I could lose a few pounds or I could pull a Dudley and get fatter and fatter.
The plan for today is to clean the stove and refrigerator, the mirrors and the sliding-glass doors (all seven of them). Also, to take a walk. It's a good plan, it'll keep me busy and out of trouble. The result should be shiny appliances and clear views. No promises, though.
Well, perfect in one way: My husband was gone most of the day and, thus, not in my way. He's most unhelpful when it comes to housework. Not his fault: He was a doted-upon only child whose family did him no favors by not teaching him how to cook, clean, do laundry, etc.
In order to vacuum, mop, dust, clean bathrooms, do laundry and fix dinner by 5:45 (when I leave for my volunteer gig on Tuesdays) I had to give up my walk. I got a good workout in, including some heavy lifting, but doing housework doesn't feel like a workout to me.
It just feels like work. Heh. And I sure was tired when I was done.
So, back to expectations. And I've written about this before, many times before, I'm sure you're both tired of reading it. If I eat healthful meals and get about an hour of intentional exercise daily, I would hope to drop a few avoirdupois. I don't think I should drop a few overnight. I'd be happy with a few a month, one a week, even two a month would be progress.
There's no progress. I guess the plan will be to continue eating healthful meals and getting an hour of intentional exercise daily just because. The result could be anything: I could ward off disease or I could drop over with a heart attack. I could lose a few pounds or I could pull a Dudley and get fatter and fatter.
The plan for today is to clean the stove and refrigerator, the mirrors and the sliding-glass doors (all seven of them). Also, to take a walk. It's a good plan, it'll keep me busy and out of trouble. The result should be shiny appliances and clear views. No promises, though.
