FLYing: Identifying Roadblocks

Yesterday, I identified something that derails my routine.  After dinner, Matt and I took our dessert into the den to watch something we recorded.  When that show ended, we happened to find Blazing Saddles on AMC.  Before we knew it, it was 10 pm, the dishes weren't done, leftovers weren't put away, nothing in my before-bed routine was done.  We quickly finished loading the dishwasher, set it to running, packed lunches, did dishes, set up the coffee pot, and wiped out the sink and counters.  I brushed my teeth, set out my clothes, and fell into bed not long before 11. 

New rule:  no television until the dishes are done and put away.

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FLYing Back on Track

So after yesterday's mishaps, I now know that I shouldn't watch tv before doing the kitchen part of my nightly routine.  This morning, I was dragging, and only woke up a minute or two before the alarm went off.  I gagged on my joint pills, which I haven't done in quite some time.  I was tired and achy all day, due to getting to bed so much later than usual.  But, I got my morning routine done.  Dressed to shoes, emptied the dishwasher, set the timer on my phone for 5 minutes, and finished decluttering the desk in the office.  You can actually see the top now!

It occurs to me, though, that the only thing that desk really gets used for as of now is a clutter-catcher.  The drawers get used for storage, but again, how much of that is useful and how much is actually cluttery stuff that can be thrown out, I don't know offhand.  Once Matt gets his storage unit for his computer stuff, maybe we'll go through the drawers and decide if we really need that desk or not.  Or at least, if we need it in HERE.  It could possibly go into the guest room.  Something to think about.

Upon getting home, Matt started dinner, and I started working on today's Babystep: "You can do ANYTHING for 15 minutes."  She suggests setting the timer for 15 minutes, and gathering trash.  Then, when that goes off, setting it for 15, and sitting down, feet up, with a magazine.  Instead, I set the timer for 15 minutes and worked on the craft room.  I had some things in there that went into the Donate box, some things that got thrown away, and a few piles sorted out into different areas.  When the timer went off, I stood up and walked away.  I need to go back in tonight, though, and grab the "bathroom" pile and the "office" pile.  Then I set the timer for 15 minutes and got on my computer, chatted with a friend, took one of those receipt surveys, and with 4 minutes left, Matt came to let me know dinner was ready.

After dinner, I packed lunches with the leftovers, did the dishes, wiped off the counters and stovetop, programmed the coffee, and shined out the sink.  All that's left to do on the before-bed routine is to set out tomorrow's clothes, shower, and brush my teeth. 

Tomorrow's BabyStep is to add an Inspirational Page to my control journal.  In FlyLady's words:

• On this page I want you to spend 15 minutes writing down some of your favorite inspirational phrases. Some of mine are; You can do anything for 15 minutes, Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family and You can’t organize clutter; you can only get rid of it. I know you have others that you love. Use this page as a place to write them down when you see something that touches your heart.

...I don't really have any "inspirational phrases."  I kind of see them as cheesy, insipid, and not very inspiring at all.  What I might look for is the passage in Proverbs that my mother-in-law likes.