Random Thoughts on a Busy Week
If you’ve been keeping track, you know that the evening of the day this is published will be the “Celebrate & Support
Our Troops” dinner and auction fundraiser. It’s an exciting time, but there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make an event like this run smoothly.
It is all coming together nicely. We are fortunate to live in a very giving community. If you donated an auction item, bought a ticket, sponsored a table, volunteered your time and energy, or gave a monetary donation, it is all appreciated. It is true that everyone doing a little makes a BIG difference.
I also need to do a couple things for my Mary Kay business this week. Speaking of Mary Kay, I need to review a few other lessons I learned from Mary Kay. Prioritize. When I was younger, I took piano lessons. Sorry to say my parents wasted a lot of money on those, because I never practiced enough. When I would go to my lesson I would always choose to play “the worst first” and get it out of the way. I find I still do that with chores or jobs I need to do. I find it’s best to do the one I like least first, and get it out of the way or there’s a good chance my procrastination skills will kick in.
Another thing I learned from Mary Kay was to make a “6 Most Important Things to Do” list at night before I go to bed. That way I already have a plan for the day when I wake up the next morning and don’t spend time trying to remember what I need to do.
On a busy week I also need to plan ahead for meals and snacks, because if I don’t, I will grab junk food on the go or fill up on fast food. Those may satisfy me for the moment but aren’t the best nutrition to keep my brain in gear and my body moving.
Staying organized is another important skill for a busy week. If I just start laying papers down here and there, I will waste time trying to locate them, and on a busy week, time is precious.
I also need to remember to breathe. When I get stressed, I have to remind myself to do some breathing exercises that I’ve learned. Breathe in through the nose while counting slowly to 4, hold your breath for four more counts, then let your breath slowly out of your mouth counting to 4 again. Repeat at least 4 times. It’s amazing how that works to relax and reset.
When my brain becomes too tired to concentrate or my body is too tired to move, I need to stop and take a break. I’ve realized that when I reach that point, I’m no longer productive, so I might as well stop whatever I’m trying to do and find a way to recharge. That might mean a walk, a power nap, or whatever helps me be reenergized to get the job done.
Getting enough sleep is also important. I find I need 8 hours of sleep to be at my best. We have a habit of staying up late, but when I’ve got a lot going on, my brain tends to wake me up early and keep me from going back to sleep. The solution for getting enough hours of sleep is to go to bed earlier than usual.
Maybe some of these suggestions will help you when you have a busy week. Thanks for letting me share them so I can remember to take my own advice this week.