15 minutes

Let us not begin again, but let us continue forward. And try to do all the things we love, every day. Even if it is just 15 minutes.

Hello! And welcome to a new set of thoughts. This is going to be stream of consciousness (at least today.)

I have been having great frustration because there are SO many things I want to do. I am one of those people who has a project list, where Project means "an activity requiring many hours, lots of organization, multiple tools, and at least 3 dance breaks." And the activities that qualify as projects aren't even on my daily to do list!

I started a new form of organization - reading a book called Getting Things Done. And the author, David Allen, said (and I paraphrase) - write everything down; every impulse; gather it all in one place, and then decide what the next step is."

So, for the last year I have been practicing the writing down and sorting process. Oh, I'm feeling so accomplished.

But I still aren't getting nothing done.

Of course there's the writing thing. To feel professional, one must give the writing the focus and attention one would give any job.

I did that solid for one month. I felt so accomplished! But, I realized the administrative part of my life wasn't getting done. And when I tried to meld the two, my brain (my productivity) went caplooie!

Or at least it felt like it.

I have been running round in circles trying to feel productive, and feel like I'm bringing in as much money as the energy I expend (okay, or even any at all.)

And I do NOT want to give up my chosen activities for the "JOB". Blech. 

So how do I balance it all?

Well, I don't know yet. But today's practice involves doing things in 15 minute bites.

This is not a new idea. I had it myself, a long time ago, when I was trying to emulate my mother in being a housewife AND an artist. "Just 15 minutes," I would say to myself. "I only have to clean, fold, straighten, organize, iron, scrub, whatever for 15 minutes." 

And recently, I started "following" Sam Bennet (I think that's her name - no I have not edited this yet, I only have 15 minutes!). Sam Bennet has a book about getting things done (creatively) in 15 minutes a day.

So today I have been/am breaking down all the activities I want to do today into 15 minute blocks. from exercise to paying bills, from submitting stories to writing this. `15 minutes.

No, it does not feel like one can get anything done in 15 minutes. It really doesn't. Especially if you (i) do it fairly, and include the set up in that 15 minutes.

Happily, it turns out, the thing that took longest to set up was the Wii station for exercise...

AND THAT's my 15 minutes! It shall be interesting to see what, if anything, this blog turns into.

I hope you have a great day!

-Lila