Reading

Trying to do one thing at a time

In my efforts to get things done ‘before I forget’ and/or not to hyper-fixate on one task and ignore everything else on my list, I often end up treating my day as a series of things to check off.

I end up feeling like the important thing is get things done rather than to enjoy the process of doing them.

I just set a timer so I could relax into reading my book and drinking my tea for 20 mins before getting started on my day’s work.

After a few sips of tea, I suddenly found my mind wandering to my to do list, because I had mentally checked off ‘drink tea.’

That’s not good for me and it’s a waste of a good cup of tea.

I have to find a middle ground between ‘drink tea and read all day’ and ‘take two sips and check it off.’

I end up feeling rushed far too often to do it to myself unnecessarily.

A photo of tea in an octopus cup.
This morning’s cup of tea in the cup that my dear friend Mary gave me – it features a cranky blue octopus holding an ice cream cone in one tentacle. My ebook is propped up in the background and my cup is on a multicoloured patterned mug rug.

Winding Down The Week

More by happy accident than by design, I have found myself with a slow Friday afternoon.

I have let my brain off leash and now I’m reading until it occurs to me to do something else.

PS – I like the non-alcoholic version of Corona just as much as the alcoholic one.

A beer and an ereader in a case sit on a red patio table.
A beer and a book makes for a good way to spend a sunny afternoon. Image description: my Corona Sunbrew sits on a red patio table next to my Kobo ereader which is in a blue, purple, and gold patterned case. Beyond the table, the floorboards of the patio are dappled with sunlight.

Smooth Sunday

Yesterday’s experiment was a success.

At the end of the day I felt both relaxed and accomplished and I didn’t feel like I had pushed myself too hard.

I have no specific plans today so I am going to keep my brain mostly unleashed and allow myself to move from task to task in whatever order makes sense.

I’ve already put some clothes on the line, dusted a few shelves, and did a little reading.

Now I’m going to read a bit more while I drink my tea and then I’ll dust a few more shelves.

I’m really hoping this approach not only helps me relax but also helps me get used to working on a task without the need to ‘get it done before I forget.’

PS – I know that relaxation and housework don’t really go together but housework needs to get done and this approach keeps me from spending my whole day hyper-focused on it.

Yesterday

Decisions, decisions – a good problem to have ;)

This is the kind of evening I dream of when I feel tense or when it feels like the winter will never end.

I’m sitting on my patio on a warm summer night, deciding whether to draw or to read while I drink my (non-alcoholic!) beer.

A photo of a table with a bottle, an ereader and a sketchbook and markers on it.
Image description: a angled-down view of a small red patio table with a bottle of Corona Sunbrew non-alcoholic beer (which is covered in condensation), an e-reader in a blue and gold patterned case, and an open sketchbook with six markers on top of it. In the background there’s another patio chair, the bottom of the railing, and the end of a string of warm white lights.

Friday 5

5 things I want to do this summer, in no particular order.

1) hula hoop in the back yard

2) go on a day hike with my friend Jan and stop for a reading break

3) swim in a pond

4) have tea with Mom on her patio

5) have a long chat around the firepit with my friends