Really enjoyed this window into your life and it reminded me of a quote of Rick Rubin's "Discipline and freedom seem like opposites. In reality, they are partners. Discipline is not a lack of freedom. It’s a harmonious relationship with time.”
To answer your 5 questions:
1) I have the same routine virtually every morning, but that routine begins to break apart as work kicks in to exert more influence on my time.
2) About once a week (this is a clue that I do not have kids).
3) I hate doing the first or last step of a task, regardless of the task or how small. Examples of last step tasks include: putting away the groceries after grocery shopping (takes like 1/100th the time to actually shop but feels just as annoying); putting away clothes after folding them; unloading the dishwasher. The main first step task I can think of is meal planning.
4) I try to automate things (see my same morning routine) to minimize this, but yes I do sometimes. This is almost always with small decisions though, since I have a tendency to over analyze big decisions. Any decision of consequence I have turned over thousands of times in my mind, written about and/or created some decision framework, etc.
5) As my laundry answer revealed, I don't have kids. I do have care-giving responsibilities related to my mom who has cognitive issues related to a brain surgery and likely now the early stages of dementia (hard to say definitively whether or not she has dementia, as the signs largely overlap with pre-existing issues from her brain surgery). I will say that I do often feel like Sisyphus when it comes to my mom's care; I spend a lot of time trying to make her life as good as possible, it works for a bit, then something goes haywire and I am pushing the boulder back up the hill.
That's a great quote, I'm going to use it going forward.
RE: First and last steps, I tell myself "this will only take 2 minutes" and just go and do it. It's like the flinch before getting into a colder shower (I try to do that every now and then).
RE: Decision frameworks, I haven't gotten that far but it sounds like an interesting idea.
RE: Being a caretaker, I think it's very noble that you're taking care of your mother. I'm sorry to hear she may have dementia. I have heard that is really taxing on families. If you don't mind, I'd like to include you and your family to our family prayers.
Thanks, Walther. That is very kind of you to offer to include me and my family in your prayers and I'd be very happy and honored. I know from your bio that you're Catholic; my mom was raised Catholic and is actually named after Kateri Tekakwitha, who was canonized in 2012. I was raised Jewish myself and spent much of my adult life thinking of myself as an atheist, though in recent years I have began exploring different spiritual aspects, including taking a visit to Kateri Tekawitha's shrine and praying for my mom there, which was a very moving experience. So that again is a long-winded way of saying that I am very touched by your offer.
I'm consistently inconsistent with exercise, so there's that. And I'm glad you mentioned being happier than Sisyphus. My kids bring equal parts challenge and joy to my life so definitely happier than Sisyphus.
This is amazing. I'm really struggling to get into a routine. I was recommended the book "How to keep house while drowning" and it is excellent. I have not gotten into a routine, and I am so far unable to sharpen all of my saws so i'm driving myself a little crazy at times. Each day SHOULD BE the same but each day is not. It's a new adventure to see what kind of mindset I find myself in, whether I am able to get myself out of bed, etc. There's a lot of reasons for this but anyway I enjoyed hearing your impressions with four kids and operating like a well oiled machine.
1- I do, but I am trying to get into a wider routine that takes me farther from home base.
2- I'm not saying. 😂
3- Cleaning the kitchen. IDK why I have a brain block for that specific room. Makes it difficult to cook too sometimes.
4- Yes. There was a period in my life where I was doing a lot and everything and had to keep a lot of plates moving simultaneously. It wore me down--my memory was suffering, my sleep was suffering, my health was suffering. Making little decisions became very difficult because it was more stressful than it needed to be.
5- Not a parent yet but do already feel like Sisyphus 😂
I'm going to have to check that book out. Small piece of advice you didn't ask for, simplify your wardrobe. I have 4 Costco shorts and 7 grey t-shirts that I treat as a uniform. If the t-shirt gets dirty because kids, I can just get the next one from the drawer. I made it a point to match my chinos and dress shirts in a way that I can just grab any of two of them and they go together. This takes some front loading but not impossible.
With the kitchen stuff, sometimes I angry clean, I'm not going to lie. My reaction to the mess is, "I will end you." Maybe not a great approach but the kitchen gets cleaned. I'd say simplify your meals, we have a two week rotation of recipes that we know we enjoy and the kids will eat; like playing only greatest hits with the occasional take out night. It's the little things.
Greatly appreciated! The wardrobe thing is worth doing, I saw some youtube productivity guy mention that and I'm all for it. Thank you for this! Your unsolicited advice is well received!
Really enjoyed this window into your life and it reminded me of a quote of Rick Rubin's "Discipline and freedom seem like opposites. In reality, they are partners. Discipline is not a lack of freedom. It’s a harmonious relationship with time.”
To answer your 5 questions:
1) I have the same routine virtually every morning, but that routine begins to break apart as work kicks in to exert more influence on my time.
2) About once a week (this is a clue that I do not have kids).
3) I hate doing the first or last step of a task, regardless of the task or how small. Examples of last step tasks include: putting away the groceries after grocery shopping (takes like 1/100th the time to actually shop but feels just as annoying); putting away clothes after folding them; unloading the dishwasher. The main first step task I can think of is meal planning.
4) I try to automate things (see my same morning routine) to minimize this, but yes I do sometimes. This is almost always with small decisions though, since I have a tendency to over analyze big decisions. Any decision of consequence I have turned over thousands of times in my mind, written about and/or created some decision framework, etc.
5) As my laundry answer revealed, I don't have kids. I do have care-giving responsibilities related to my mom who has cognitive issues related to a brain surgery and likely now the early stages of dementia (hard to say definitively whether or not she has dementia, as the signs largely overlap with pre-existing issues from her brain surgery). I will say that I do often feel like Sisyphus when it comes to my mom's care; I spend a lot of time trying to make her life as good as possible, it works for a bit, then something goes haywire and I am pushing the boulder back up the hill.
That's a great quote, I'm going to use it going forward.
RE: First and last steps, I tell myself "this will only take 2 minutes" and just go and do it. It's like the flinch before getting into a colder shower (I try to do that every now and then).
RE: Decision frameworks, I haven't gotten that far but it sounds like an interesting idea.
RE: Being a caretaker, I think it's very noble that you're taking care of your mother. I'm sorry to hear she may have dementia. I have heard that is really taxing on families. If you don't mind, I'd like to include you and your family to our family prayers.
Thank you for reading!
Thanks, Walther. That is very kind of you to offer to include me and my family in your prayers and I'd be very happy and honored. I know from your bio that you're Catholic; my mom was raised Catholic and is actually named after Kateri Tekakwitha, who was canonized in 2012. I was raised Jewish myself and spent much of my adult life thinking of myself as an atheist, though in recent years I have began exploring different spiritual aspects, including taking a visit to Kateri Tekawitha's shrine and praying for my mom there, which was a very moving experience. So that again is a long-winded way of saying that I am very touched by your offer.
Nice! We love the Lily of the Mohawks. And you got it.
reeeeeeemix
A lovely insight into your parenting day. Thanks for this. I can say one thing, you are doing a lot better instilling routine at home than I am!
and your questions:
1: I'd say I'm consistently inconsistent
2: Oh, everyday, of course.
3: Laundry
4: Not really, I'd say.
5: I hope Im much happier than Sisyphus was.
I'm consistently inconsistent with exercise, so there's that. And I'm glad you mentioned being happier than Sisyphus. My kids bring equal parts challenge and joy to my life so definitely happier than Sisyphus.
This is amazing. I'm really struggling to get into a routine. I was recommended the book "How to keep house while drowning" and it is excellent. I have not gotten into a routine, and I am so far unable to sharpen all of my saws so i'm driving myself a little crazy at times. Each day SHOULD BE the same but each day is not. It's a new adventure to see what kind of mindset I find myself in, whether I am able to get myself out of bed, etc. There's a lot of reasons for this but anyway I enjoyed hearing your impressions with four kids and operating like a well oiled machine.
1- I do, but I am trying to get into a wider routine that takes me farther from home base.
2- I'm not saying. 😂
3- Cleaning the kitchen. IDK why I have a brain block for that specific room. Makes it difficult to cook too sometimes.
4- Yes. There was a period in my life where I was doing a lot and everything and had to keep a lot of plates moving simultaneously. It wore me down--my memory was suffering, my sleep was suffering, my health was suffering. Making little decisions became very difficult because it was more stressful than it needed to be.
5- Not a parent yet but do already feel like Sisyphus 😂
I'm going to have to check that book out. Small piece of advice you didn't ask for, simplify your wardrobe. I have 4 Costco shorts and 7 grey t-shirts that I treat as a uniform. If the t-shirt gets dirty because kids, I can just get the next one from the drawer. I made it a point to match my chinos and dress shirts in a way that I can just grab any of two of them and they go together. This takes some front loading but not impossible.
With the kitchen stuff, sometimes I angry clean, I'm not going to lie. My reaction to the mess is, "I will end you." Maybe not a great approach but the kitchen gets cleaned. I'd say simplify your meals, we have a two week rotation of recipes that we know we enjoy and the kids will eat; like playing only greatest hits with the occasional take out night. It's the little things.
This concludes the unsolicited advice.
Greatly appreciated! The wardrobe thing is worth doing, I saw some youtube productivity guy mention that and I'm all for it. Thank you for this! Your unsolicited advice is well received!