Time to Reboot and Restructure

I have a confession to make: I am losing my mind. WAIT! There is no need to call 911 … it’s not that kind of losing my mind. But I am a mess. A mess! It’s totally time to panic!

Today represents two months since starting my new professional adventure — and let me tell you, professionally, life is great. For many reasons, my decision to go out on my own and to leave my former working environment is validated each day. I’ve signed a few contracts, have a number of fun and interesting projects to keep me busy, and appear to be on track financially. Hooray!

However, I am very glad that this post is not accompanied by a photo, either of me or of my apartment.

I’ve definitely covered how I am one of those type-A people who thrive on hyper-organization and scheduling — but now that I am working from home and have a more manageable working schedule, nothing (except work) seems to be getting done. I’m not talking about my “Shit to Do … Someday” list, but normal, everyday stuff:

  • Work out? Only twice in 2011. Yoga once … elliptical once.
  • Swimming lessons? I’ve missed more than I have made.
  • House clean and organized, laundry done and put away? HA HA HA
  • My last shower? Yesterday morning. Before that? No idea.
  • Plan and cook fabulous meals? Um … does pasta and sauce count?
  • Get back into playing the piano and learn guitar? I can strum the A chord as long as I’m looking at the strings, and haven’t made it past “Lesson 1” on the piano. Yes, the same Lesson 1 I mastered when I was five years old. Thirty years later, not so masterful.
  • A photo a day? Not this month!
  • Catching up on magazines? Well, I finished the 2010 issues and am ready to start January. Happy New Year!
  • Read books? One. One in two months. And it was a Harry Potter book. (but to my defense, it was The Order of the Phoenix, clocking it at more than 800 pages).
  • Master Angry Birds? Actually, I’ve been pretty good at that one. Nevermind.
  • Write 2-3 witty blog posts each week, expanding my readership, working through SEO updates, engaging with other bloggers? Barely mange one a week.

So here I am, disheveled and disorganized, in a cluttered and messy apartment with an empty refrigerator (and an empty wine rack). My hair has returned to its naturally wavy-ish mess thanks to the lack of daily hot air and flatirons, I have piles of unopened mail to read, phone calls to make, parking tickets to protest, finances to organize — if only I can find everything under all the contracts and papers that are spread everywhere.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?????? This is So! Not! Me!

Enough is enough. Don’t get me wrong, I clearly needed to let it all go (including myself) these past two months. But it’s time to reboot, reset, and start over.

Clearly, I need a little structure.

I’ve cleared the weekend of all plans and am going to get myself back on track. (a free weekend in itself is a miracle!). My three-day Blueprint Cleanse arrived this morning, for a little detox (see Cleansing for additional info on the cleanse). I signed up for a two-hour yoga class on Saturday afternoon. I am going to get through mail, pay my bills, update my finances, add phone numbers to my list of people I need to call so it will be easy come Monday to get through everything. And watch out January magazine issues – I’m coming for you.

As ridiculous as it sounds, I’m going to start to put things on my calendar (Monday through Friday anyway). When it’s time to work, when it’s time to exercise, when it’s time to do finances (business and personal), when it time for the spa (oh, that would be Monday! Massage! thank you very much!). Apparently I need structure more than I realized.

Watch out world, I’m back! Or I will be next week, anyway. After finishing the new St. Patrick’s Day Angry Birds.

5 Replies to “Time to Reboot and Restructure”

  1. I have to laugh because I was just going to reply to your post on my wall (thank you btw!) and suggest we attempt plans again now that both our lives have settled down… then I read this! HAHA For what it’s worth – I schedule my showers now and have the same plans for my blog (unfortunately my posts have dwindled to 1 a month if that)! Oh, and wavy looks great!

    • Haha thanks Amy! YES, I’ve been meaning to call you too — the next two weeks are nutty, but after that is open! Happy to come out to your new place or meet halfway. Let me know! Looking forward to seeing you 🙂

  2. Laura – I can totally relate!! My mom used to tell me that I was a lot more productive when I had a busier schedule (maybe this is due to having a more structured schedule). It’s a catch-22 I think… Good luck – who knows, maybe the down-time is what you need (including not doing anything from your “someday” list)!

    • It’s definitely a Catch-22 — I guess this means that there is no such thing as a “normal” schedule or work / life balance. (and I think this down time is EXACTLY what I needed!!)

  3. Pingback: Accountability | LIFE AFTER NORMAL

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