Weekly Planning

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On Sundays, I do a little weekly planning. I pencil in the activities I’m planning to do at specific times. I fill in the short, daily to-do lists with 2-4 items for each day: calls to make, work-outs, tasks, and small projects.

This week’s projects are:

Belly Fat Bootcamp – This is a six week challenge that begins on January 12th. It’s for women over 40, and it comes with meal and workout plans. I’ve completed similar challenges from Melissa O’Neill before, and I’ve achieved great results. I started eating the meals this past week and they are quite different for me… quinoa, buckwheat, bok choy, wild salmon for breakfast?

Cleaning out my email – On Thursday, I cleared my inbox. There were over 1000 emails in it. I saved some in folders, and have been unsubscribing from many. This Thursday, I plan to go through all of the folders, deleting what I no longer want to keep.

Take down the Christmas decorations – I don’t really want to this year. It’s not because of the work, but I think I’ll miss the ambiance.

Purge the pantry – It needs to be done. I try to do it every three months, which is seasonally.

New file drawers – This project is taking longer than I expected. I received new hanging folders, manila folders, and Freedom Filer labels for Christmas. I thought I’d switch out the old folders and declutter papers quickly. Nope. There are lots of decisions to be made. Do we want to get rid of certain papers after two years? Do I want the product manuals in the folders or in binders where they are now? Can I get rid of papers from projects I’m not working on? I’ll make decisions.

I’m planning to go to two meetings this week that involve reading books. One is in person (starting up again after a break) and the other is on Zoom (completely new to me). I also have a date with Bobby to see The Fellowship of the Ring on Friday night. We usually watch LOTR together in January. This year we plan to go out for the first and third movies, and watch the second one at home sometime in between the others.

Tonight we’ll be celebrating Bobby‘s birthday. His actual birthday is January 12. He’ll be turning 56, like me. I’m writing about what I know. I’m just happy to be writing.

Book Notes: Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy, Introduction

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Slowing down and simplifying are some of my favorite topics. I was thinking about slowing down when my pastor announced that they were giving away these books on the first day of Advent. I knew I had to read it.

I’ll admit I haven’t been a huge Matthew Kelly fan. I remember, years ago, someone suggested that we read one of his books at my homeschool moms group and I expressed my dislike of his books. I don’t remember why. I think I thought he would take the ideas of spiritual classics and make them sound like new ideas. And now I will let you know how really judgy and uncharitable I can be. Some years I would follow along with his Best Lent Ever series, and although I appreciated what he would say, I criticized how he looked. I thought he looked unwell and seemed a little fake. I suspected that he was pretending all was well when it wasn’t. (And how do I know that people do this? Because I’ve done it myself.) Maybe it was a case of being bothered by someone because they exhibit some of the traits that you don’t like in yourself.

Now, after reading Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy, I have a whole new attitude towards him. I think we may be kindred spirits! I have a new respect for his honesty and humility. And clearly, we struggle with the same things. 

The first thing that I underlined in this book:

Do you feel like you are doing enough?

(Pg. 2)

Good question. Most of the time I feel like I’m doing too much. But then why do I keep saying that I wanna catch up, and why do I feel behind? It sounds like I think I should be doing more.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of caring too much about things that don’t matter enough. Those things can be material possessions, but they can also be projects, other people’s opinion, social engagements, and a myriad of things we say yes to without considering the implications.

(Pg. 3)

I used to think that decluttering and organizing my possessions would help me to be less busy, and it may help, but it doesn’t solve the problem entirely. Then, I realized the importance of good habits to maintain order in my home, and for my personal health. Later, I found that reducing my distractions was necessary. Today, I’m thinking that slowing down requires humility and prayer.

Why are you so busy?

(Pg. 6)

My immediate response is fear. That sense of urgency might be a reaction to some sort of anxious feeling. (A trap is a good way to describe it.) The activities keeping me busy seem like a plan to get to peace, when really slowing down is the way to it. Being fully present in the moment and knowing I’m not alone brings me peace. Being aware that I have a loving God taking care of me, and everything else, brings me peace. I just need to let go of what I want, and trust in the One who knows everything, is all powerful, and all good.

I’ll continue to ponder “busy” and “slowing down”and some ideas from this book in future posts.

Blogging in the New Year

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As you can see, I made myself an index card for blogging to put in my Sidetracked Home Executives index card system. So… it’s official. I’m gonna be blogging regularly now.

I’m just wondering if I should start with a catch-up post. I have a whole list of blog post ideas in my beautiful, new 2026 planner, but I just looked through the photos on my iPhone, and I have loads of good ones to share. I still have a draft called “Three Days in Singapore” that was left unfinished before I completed the first day, but that can wait.

I think I just have to accept the fact that, although I want this blog to be about books and ideas, (someday soon I hope), it is also my online journal. It’s the place where I share where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing. And when I go too long between posts, it ends up being very list-like.

  • Mary got her braces off and got new glasses with progressive lenses.
  • I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to replace old gasoline by way of funneling it into our truck. So what if I bought two different funnels, (the first didn’t work out) and then I found the original one in the basement a few days later, and I had to prop my arms up (in the freezing cold) on our trashcan to be able to pour the gasoline in. I got the job done.
  • I brought Twinkie to his annual vet appointment. He’s a healthy guy. Still haven’t dropped off his stool sample yet.
  • Halloween was uneventful. It was the first year that none of my children went trick-or-treating.
  • I spent time decluttering and cleaning and organizing the basement. I always have the urge to do this around the beginning of November. I made a lot of progress in the basement. I’d say I’m over halfway through, maybe even 3/4.
  • There was lawn mowing and “winterizing” the house.
  • My birthday was wonderful. The kids all hung out with me and we worked on a puzzle together.
  • I had a plumber come in to replace a toilet and electricians fixed a bunch of things that were broken, hung up 2 new light fixtures, replaced outlets and switch plates in the last of the rooms downstairs that hadn’t been changed.
  • Hannah played Lavender in the musical Matilda at her high school.
  • I went on another Miles Christi silent Ignatian Spiritual Exercises retreat. My friend Carol drove us. Though I told myself I would start my resolutions immediately, once again I’m starting in January.
  • I spent at least a week prepping and painting the dining room. And a whole day hanging up the curtain rods and new drapes.
  • One night in November, Bobby and I went out on a date in Amherst and we came home with a new Christmas tree from the Hadley Home Depot. I think it’s gonna save me a lot of time in packing away the decorations. It’s pre-lit and works almost like an umbrella. I think it’ll be much more fun to take down, than an hour of circling around the tree to remove the lights, and then removing and carefully packing every layer of branches.
  • I spent a day with my father when he had a cardiac catheterization. He had a new stent put in, and he seems to be doing well now.
  • We hosted Thanksgiving as usual. We ate in the newly painted dining room. I didn’t quite finish the room because we were talking about sconces or pendant lighting above the table, so I’m waiting to hang up pictures until we make a decision about that. On the night before Thanksgiving, we started watching season 5 of Stranger Things. For some reason, Bobby always calls Vecna “Vector”.
  • The Saturday after Thanksgiving is always our traditional tree trimming party. Matthew and Anna came over. After we decorated the house and tree, we watched the movie Elf and my 55 years of Christmases slideshow.
  • I started reading the book Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy during Advent. I finished it at the end of the year and will definitely be writing about that soon.
  • When it snows during the week, I’m in charge of snow removal because Bobby’s in New York.
  • Bobby had to go to Providence, Rhode Island for the first weekend in December. Rachel, Hannah and I joined him, and the girls and I took a day trip to Newport, where we toured three of the mansions there. It was really interesting.
  • Sarah was student teaching at a high school this fall. We attended the concert where she accompanied the vocalists on the piano, and then conducted a song on stage for the first time. She is now officially done with her bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in education. Exactly one week later we were at my nephew Edward’s high school band’s winter concert. It was his last one because he’s a senior.
  • Rachel and I went with Hannah to see Merrily We Roll Along at Cinemark. She was supposed to see the filmed play starring Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe for a class. I loved it and gave it five stars and a heart on Letterboxd.
  • We celebrated Matthew‘s 27th and Joseph’s 25th birthdays together since they are back to back on December 11 and 12th.
  • Bobby and I spent a weekend in New York City with my sister and her boys and one of their girlfriends. We visited Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue, looking at decorations, had some nice meals out at restaurants, and waited in a long line to go in FAO Schwartz. We tried to look around the Winter Village at Bryant Park, but it was too crazy crowded there. On Sunday we woke up to snow on the ground. Bobby and I walked to Mass and took pictures of the winter wonderland on Morningside Drive on the way home.
  • Joe got a new job working at Peter Pan. He works in a cubicle now.
  • I spent a ton of time shopping and wrapping presents and watching not so great Christmas movies, so I could scratch them off of my 100 Christmas Movies poster that I received as a gift last Christmas.
  • We did some Christmas puzzles, and made up our Christmas cards to send out. My mother said they were late because she received hers after Christmas, but liturgically, the Christmas season was just beginning. I’m not sure if that’s a rationalization for not sending them sooner.
  • Then came the four Christmases: Christmas Eve with my father’s family, Christmas Day, with our own immediate family, then Christmas with Bob’s family, and Christmas with my mom at my sister‘s house. We hosted the first three.
  • After dinner on Christmas Eve, we played a game with a big ball of Saran Wrap. Then we opened presents and played Christmas musical bingo. It was a lot of fun. I laughed a lot because my father put pictures of Harry Styles all over Hannah‘s gift and told me to say when I handed out the presents that there was no name on the package and I didn’t know who it was for. Of course, everyone knew it was for her. At night, I went to the Midnight Mass. It was so beautiful. The only picture I took was of the three younger girls, with Christina, in their choir gowns.
  • On Christmas morning, we have a tradition of eating Santa pancakes and bacon, then we open gifts. Then we spend some time cleaning up the mess, and relax.
  • Christmas with Bob’s family was extra special this year because both of our nephews were home and one of them is married and has a little girl named Ramona. It’s been a long time since we had a little one around. Can you guess what we gave her for a present? Books!
  • Christmas at my sister‘s house with my mom was very nice. We had brunch and I forgot to take pictures but Rachel got some of us laughing. My mom always makes us laugh.
  • During Bobby’s Christmas vacation, he wanted to go to New York City alone with me. It was like a three day date and very relaxing for both of us. We went to Brooklyn the first night to DUMBO and an Italian restaurant near a place with good views of the river and skyline. We watched a movie called Champagne Problems that my Dad recommended. It was a Netflix Hallmark type movie. I loved being in the cozy apartment at night with the skinny Christmas tree. The second night we watched It’s a Wonderful Life after another nice dinner, followed by a Grease parody play. I would have rather seen a Broadway play, but there was really nothing available for a decent price. We saw some beautiful Christmas decorations and got our steps in walking around the city. On the last day, I spent a lot of time reading and resting.
  • On New Year’s Eve, it was just the girls, Bobby and I home. We played games and watched the finale of Stranger Things. Then we watched the ball drop. We put out loads of snacks and then had to put them all away because we didn’t eat that much of them. And now I’m doing a new meal plan and workout plan. More on that in another post….

I’m all caught up now and ready for some regular blogging. Happy New Year!

Time Management?

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About a Boy. Have you seen it? This movie has a memorable scene in which Will, played by Hugh Grant, explains how he manages his time. Being a student of time management for two and a half decades, I found this a clever script. The character, Will, is a self-centered loner who enjoys his lifestyle, and doesn’t seem to worry about wasting his time.

I love it.

I can relate because I have felt extremely busy this fall, and I have thought…

How did I ever have time for homeschooling?

Today, I am thinking… Can I commit to blogging?

Of course I can. I would just need to make it a priority. Write it down in my planner and follow through. I penciled it in for Tuesday night, then erased it. I guess I won’t commit.

This is how I’ve been spending my time.

In September, my sister and I planned an 80th birthday party for my father. I did a lot to prepare for it, and my brother, Mark, and my niece and nephew came up from Tennessee to be here for it.

672 units.

Movies, mowing the lawn, helping kids with homework, banking, and rides, going with parents to doctors’ appointments, shopping, workouts, home maintenance, meetings, prayer, reading, eating, sleeping, and showering.

1,344 units.

A weekend in East Lyme, Connecticut in a rented house with Bobby’s family.

144 units.

Driving to New York City, then flying to Singapore with Bobby, seeing as much as possible in 3 days, and the return trip home.

384 units.

Catching up from being away for 10 days.

120 units.

Planning, decluttering, and organizing the basement, bringing a truckload of trash to the dump and a carload of boxes to the Salvation Army.

192 units.

I’m so disappointed. I really thought this post was going to be about time management. Once again, I’ve been compelled to account for where I’ve been in the last two months, and what I’ve been doing. I’m getting sick of these catch-up posts. And I’m not even adding photographs, which makes it even less interesting. I think the only solution is for me to blog more frequently. This may require the use of my time management skills. Ha! Now I’m back on track.

For all of 2025, I have been using a combination of a planner and the Sidetracked Home Executives index card filing system for time management. Without getting into the details of how to set up the index card system, I will share something I am learning about it.

Each day, I pull out the small pile of index cards, which include my morning routine, bedtime routine, and various activities or tasks that I am planning to do throughout the day. I spread them out on my desk, and as I complete a task or a routine, I file it in the box in front of the date that it will be used next. So my morning routine will get filed in front of tomorrow’s date. My food shopping card will get filed in front of next Monday’s date. And so on…

What I just realized, is that it is possible, and often happens, that I have more cards in the pile than I have time to complete in one day. Or I may have too many cards on a certain day, that I often can do in a day, but because of commitments, I can’t complete on that particular day. So I have started to add up how long the cards will take to check if I’m being reasonable with my expectations. If I get up at six, and I want go to bed at 10 o’clock, I only have 16 hours. I’ve also been giving myself about three hours extra for all those unexpected things. Phone calls, texting, kids wanting to talk about stuff, etc.

At the end of the day, I can look at what cards I have not completed and ask myself why. Did I have a good reason to skip that card or was I procrastinating? Was I led to do something more important?

Instead of using units of 30 minutes each, (as in the movie), I use hours. I’ll say: morning routine, two hours, Mass, 1.5 hours, desk tasks, .5 hours… I also look at my planner and add things that are happening that are not on index cards, such as Mary getting her braces off, 1.5 hours.

So this is what I’m currently doing to manage my time. I’m going to add in a blog post card, try to get an accurate time estimate for it, and see how it goes.

Reflections on My Homeschooling Journey

/ Cheryl Wilcox / 1 Comment
A selfie I sent to my daughter, Hannah, on June 13, 2025, to show her I tried on her Role Model Diva sweatshirt. She told me I should get one so we could match. (I felt happy that she wanted to match me.)

June 13, 2025 was the last day of my homeschooling journey. It ended quietly. And then summer began with traveling, and included our traditional summer activities. It went by fast. And then it was the first day of school, but not for me. (It turned out not to be for two of my daughters either. A water main break gave us five more days of summer.) Nevertheless, I felt a sadness, and wondered why.

I don’t have a desire to homeschool anymore, and I’m looking forward to having time to “catch-up” on some of the things I put on the back burner while I was busy homeschooling. I read a few articles on retiring, and found one about life after homeschooling. And then I wrote in my journal.

Lord, I know this is a process. I’m going to feel all sorts of feelings. Please be with me through it. Guide me. Hold me. Show me the way. A friend of mine said, “Cut yourself some slack.” I am listening, Lord.

I acknowledge that what I did was a big accomplishment. Only those who have done it really know. And you know, Lord. It took Grace, and I thank you for supplying it. You gave me grace to persevere. I may have some regrets. Things I’m not proud of. Impatience, anger, anxiety… But there was good too. Patience, love, compassion, hard work…

It has helped me grow closer to you, which is best of all, I think. I learned so much. Why am I sad? What is the loss? Second chances.

I can’t have a do-over. I can’t get the time back. I can’t relive the good past memories. It’s the end of an era. I can’t get those babies and little kids back. I can’t have younger me back.

I used to love to scrapbook, to host Bible studies in my home, to study nature, to make reading nooks. I was a teacher, a tutor, a coach… I researched educational philosophies, traveled with little ones, participated in co-ops… I was an educator, a planner, an organizer, a writer, a blogger, a catechist… I wanted to do such a good job.

I kept trying. I didn’t give up. I tried to do what was best for each child. I tried to pay attention, to learn more, to do it right, to find the best way, to make a difference. I had so much hope each year, each morning, each day. I loved them SO much. I wanted them to love learning, to love our home, to experience things, to love you, Lord. To know you, to trust you. To have a true education. Sometimes I wonder if I did enough.

Maybe I wasn’t a good model, a good example, and I wasn’t holy. But I did the best I could at the time, and life continues. I am still their mother. We are still here. Only the “school” part is changing. I can continue to educate myself. To grow in faith, hope, love, and other virtues. To grow closer to you and hopefully do your will. To listen to your leading me.

So maybe I was a little melancholy the day I wrote this. I can get that way sometimes. Maybe it’s all part of the process of letting go. Maybe this is why people have retirement parties. To celebrate, and have some kind of closure. And when people graduate from high school or college, we say, “Congratulations! You did it!” Maybe this post is part of my closure. (And so is unloading homeschool curriculum, which I’ve been doing for a month now, and I’m almost finished.) This post is my celebration.

Yay! You did it! Congratulations! Oh, the places you’ll go!

Why, thank you.

September’s Habit of the Month

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This month I’ll be working on what the FlyLady calls the most important routine of the day: the Before Bedtime Routine. It’s her Habit of the Month for September, which I think is an ideal time to focus on it.

After a summer of late nights and skipping this habit because I’m “too tired”, I’m ready to be more disciplined. I’m ready to add some structure to my evenings to make them a time to prepare for the next day, and to improve the transition into an earlier bedtime.

This is what mine looks like:

  • Food plan (for the next day, in MyFitnessPal)
  • Tidy the kitchen (do dishes, load the dishwasher, run the dishwasher, a.k.a. “Shine My Sink”)
  • Tidy the living room
  • Check my planner
  • Look at my index cards
  • Start my to-do list for the next day
  • Lay out my clothes for the next day
  • Get ready for bed (brush teeth, p.j.’s, etc)
  • Examen, night prayers
  • Read
  • Lights out by 10:00 pm

That looks long as a list. It’s only on four index cards. I estimate that it takes about an hour. I need to test it out to see if that’s true. And of course, I would need to get started pretty early if I want to read for a long time. I’ve really gotten away from doing this regularly. My shortcut is run the dishwasher, tidy the living room and hop into bed.

I’ll report back here in October with the results.

A Slowing Down Pep Talk

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A staircase below a food court in Soho, NYC

I’m home again! Blogging on my hammock in the backyard. I will likely be home until mid-October. New York City with the six teenagers was fun. (I’ll show some pictures without people in them to protect their privacy.)

On Wednesday night we ate at the Carnegie Diner. I think we watched the new episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty when we got back to the apartment.

The next morning, I wrote my previous blog post and we didn’t go out until the afternoon. (They slept-in and takes a while for seven people to get ready with one bathroom.) We went to Brandy Melville and edikted, which were clothing stores I didn’t know existed. Then we went to two thrift shops, one that was crazy expensive and another, called The Reshop, which was decent. I think everyone was tired by that point, so we returned to the apartment and we had takeout for dinner. (V & T’s… our favorite nearby Italian restaurant.) One of Hannah‘s friends wanted to work out, which was cool because it also got me to work out. I hadn’t thought of it and didn’t bring workout clothes. The girls sang some karaoke songs, we went to Times Square, and ate gelato. When we got back to the apartment, I stayed up late in my bedroom while they stayed up late in the living room.

On our final day, Friday, I worked out again with Hannah‘s friend, and nobody was ready to go anywhere until it was time for us to bring two girls to Grand Central Station. On the way back, Hannah and I bought a couple of rolls of toilet paper because we ran out. 🤣 I took a long time eating and packing and cleaning the apartment before we left at 5 o’clock. And it was a long ride home. I’d do it again though. I forgot how fun it was to be a teenager. When I look back, I usually forget about sleepovers and going out with friends, and singing and dancing and giggling. I usually remember the angst, and the mistakes. What’s up with that?

Yesterday, I spent time with my other kids, my mother, and then my father and his partner Cheryl. And now I’m resting. I’m trying to do not much of anything. When I was journaling earlier, I wrote: too busy to pray = TOO BUSY. As you probably know, the reoccurring theme of this blog is “slowing down.” So that’s what I’m doing today. I’m remembering my priorities. I’ll do some weekly planning, making sure to plan to do “first things first.” And if there’s not a lot of white space in my planner around the “first things” and the “have-to’s”, then I’ll lower my expectations about what I can accomplish this week.

Here’s a meditation that I have always liked:

It’s not about getting loads of things done, it’s about doing the things that I believe God wants me to do. And how would I know what those things are, if I’m too busy to listen?

Be the tortoise.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead, and Being in the Moment

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A view from Ellis Island

I’m writing from New York City. It’s quiet here this morning, so I thought I would take some time to write. Bobby is at work, and Rachel, Hannah, and four of her friends are in the other room. I am sure that some of them are still sleeping because I don’t hear any talking. We arrived yesterday. Hannah and her friends stayed in the apartment with Bobby, who was working remotely, and I met Rachel and three of her friends and their moms for lunch and a matinee. Mamma Mia!

The show was great! I’m not sure what Hannah and her friends want to do for the next two days. I know there are some stores they want to visit.

Last week was our family vacation. Because our children are teenagers and adults now, and many weren’t sure if they would be able to take a vacation with us this summer; we decided to spend a week in New York City instead of booking somewhere else ahead of time. Bobby and I ended up coming to New York with Sarah, Rachel, and Mary.  Here are some highlights and photos from the trip:

  • Anne Frank exhibit
  • Little Island, where Sarah played Billy Joel‘s Vienna on a piano
  • Walking on the High Line (where I thought I was going to die because it was in the 90s and we didn’t want to spend whatever the exorbitant price was on water… we walked til I nearly dropped)
  • The Godfather at Bryant Park
  • Liberty Island
  • A hardhat tour on Ellis Island
  • Hamilton (10 year’s old now)
  • Stranger Things: The First Shadow

We were very tired after the busyness of the first couple of days, so we stayed in the apartment for most of the last half of the trip and watched some movies (Freaky Friday, Minecraft, The Parent Trap, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) and we binge watched Stranger Things.

The girls and I watched The Summer I Turned Pretty episode of the week, and we played Payday and many games of Sorry!

Bobby, Sarah, and I worked out in the gym. Unfortunately, I have not worked out in about a week. In between the two New York trips, I was pretty busy. My father-in-law was in the hospital when we were away. We visited him at his home on Sunday and he is doing OK. I brought my father to an ERCP on Tuesday and that went well. They removed a stent he had put in when he was in the hospital when I was in Vancouver.

So, once again it’s been a busy summer. A mixture of work and fun times. Some worries and stress, and some peace and joy. It went by so fast. School begins next week. I know my calendar is looking pretty full, as it usually is at this time of year.

My perspective on life seems so seasonal. I wonder if this is part of my personality… to reflect on things so chronologically. I am a thinker. Summer used to be my favorite season when I was in my 20’s. I was quite the beach lover. But for many years now, my favorite season has been fall. I’m looking forward to more structure and order, and cool, crisp, blue sky-bright foliage days.

It’s also a tendency of mine to think a little ahead too much. I don’t want to think too far into the future, but I often think about the next few weeks. Sometimes, I overwhelm myself. The best thing for me to do is to stay in the moment. Just for today, I want to listen and be present.

Thoughts on Projects

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It’s Sunday, a good day to rest. Today I am reflecting on the past week. It started out with my trying to live a more orderly life, and ended in a flurry of activity. I think what got me off track was a project. I have a tendency to lose myself in projects. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. In this case, I was taking advantage of momentum.

Let me explain. I have four projects that I’m working on this month. I post them on the chalkboard in my kitchen to constantly remind me of what projects I consider to be the current priorities.

On Thursday, I decided to work on the preparing for St. Mary’s High School project; specifically, I wanted to find school uniform pants for my daughters. It turned out that we have hand-me-down pants that will fit Mary. Hannah needs new pants. I also thought that I would help Mary to remove some of the stuffed animals from her bed (and declutter or organize all the ones in her room) and get her new bedding, since hers was kind of old and worn. After a trip to the mall, where we didn’t buy any pants or bedding, but bought new pillows and some closet, organizing tools, Mary and I started organizing the dolls. This somehow turned into an all day declutter and organize the whole room project. I felt OK about it because they were motivated, and though I wasn’t planning on doing this anytime soon, it is part of the third project on my list: home assignments. That project involves decluttering and finding homes for all the things we are keeping.

On Friday, I finished decluttering my bathroom and the living room, and then my daughter Rachel, asked if we could declutter the school room. That’s what we call a large room above our garage, where we used to all homeschool, and what is currently Rachel‘s bedroom. You can see it in the room tour, but it didn’t look anything like that on Friday. (Why didn’t I take before and after pictures?) Anyway, just imagine piles of books, clothes, games, DVD’s, nail polishes, and papers.

I couldn’t say no to someone wanting to declutter with me! So we methodically went through the room clockwise, discussing all of the items we picked up, and either keeping them or putting them into one of the boxes: GIVE AWAY ( to donate or sell), PUT AWAY (belongs in another room), KEEP – STORAGE (is going somewhere in the basement), TRASH, and PAPER TRASH. I will go through the books at another time and I have a cabinet of photos, memorabilia and scrapbook supplies that will become another project someday, but we consider the room finished. I think we worked till about 11:30 at night I was all-in.

On Saturday, I had plans in the morning, but in the afternoon I worked on the dining room and my kitchen desk area. Then I was too tired to do anymore.

If you’ve read this blog, or know me in real life, you know that I’ve been trying to “finish” this decluttering and finding a place for everything project for years. My father keeps telling me that I will never catch up on home maintenance. I think he means that there will always be chores to do and something to fix. I agree with him on that. But I envision having a place for everything and everything in its place. I desire to have every room maintained as well as I would if I was going to put the house on the market. I understand that when I get to that point, I will need to continue to fix things when they break and to do chores daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally, and annually to maintain it. But I’m not giving up on my goal of getting to that point.

I think I see this project as similar to my transformation challenges. (In which I followed a strict meal plan and difficult, time-consuming strength training workouts, along with cardio, for eight weeks or more.) Both require a large commitment, and a lot of work. They seem overwhelming if I look from where I am at the beginning, to where I want to be at the end. But if I just take it one day at a time, and do the next task, I make progress. Over a period of time, I can reach my goals. The extreme, tedious actions are only temporary. Then, I can maintain what I have achieved with good habits.

At the beginning of 2024, I wrote three posts on habits, routines, and resolutions. This is my post on projects. I am thinking about how I can work on my projects in a more balanced way, without giving up my habits, routines, and resolutions.  I also see the value in going “all-in” with a project when you’re in the mood and when you have willing helpers.

I think my next post will be about systems. I’ve been tweaking my current system of index cards and a big fat planner. I’d love to write about it soon.

Time to Breathe Deeply

/ Cheryl Wilcox / Leave a comment

Monday-Saturday was all about getting things done. Check. Check. Check. But it wasn’t the satisfying feeling of calmly, methodically, working through a to do list. It might have looked that way on the outside, but inside it felt more like the “putting out fires” and “running around like a chicken with its head cut off” kind of accomplishing tasks.

And now it’s Sunday, a day of rest. A time to breathe deeply. To inhale and exhale. To journal and to sit still. A time to think: Hey, I want to do this more often.

“There’s one word that identifies people that are living a good life and that is ORDER. An orderly life.”

Fr. John Hardon

Hmm. I think I’ll try some of that.

On Sundays, I do “weekly planning”. This week I’m planning to wake up at 6:00 a.m. each day, and to go to bed at 10:00 p.m. A consistent bedtime and rising time would be orderly. When I get up at 6 o’clock, it gives me time to complete my morning routine, which includes journaling, and sitting still, and breathing, among other useful pursuits.

I’m planning to work on my index card activities before moving onto projects or recreation, because what is written on those cards are my priorities. They are spiritual practices, self-care endeavors, and tasks related to my vocation. I will try to leave some white space on my calendar, or margin, as some people call it; so I don’t feel anxious or rushed.

This morning, I watched a documentary about Saint Ignatius Loyola and I wrote down this quote:

“The well ordered life is centered around the worship of God.”

This is really the way to not feel anxious or rushed. To pray and be led. To be aware of the presence of God and to put all my trust in Him, rather than relying on myself. Pushing myself to get things done drains my energy, whereas resting in Him gives me life and peace.