I just want to find my keys!

I don't want to live in the neatest, most organized house on the block. I just want to be able to find my keys!

I have a lot of people fooled. They think I am so organized, so together. They think that I do as much as 4 people!

Well ... let me fill you in ... I am not that way at all! Really, most days I just feel like I am treading water in the housekeeping department, barely getting all of my priority todo's done, and running out the door without makeup on. Most days, I feel like if I have done those things then I am doing okay.

Well ... this year I want more than that. I actually want to keep the house clean, get more than just the priority todo's done, and at least occasionally put make up on and fix my hair.

How am I going to do that? Truthfully ... I have no idea! I didn't grow up in a neat house, my mom was the perpetual "run around like a chicken with it's head cut off" kind of mom. Now, don't get me wrong, I had a great mom! She was just busy, always busy, never ever do I remember when my mom wasn't busy, and now I know that she regrets being so busy.

I don't really want to be that busy mom. I want to have time just to sit down with my kids and play a game ... and I do ... However, I haven't escaped the nagging voice in the back of my head that is constantly reminding me of the 101 other very important things that I should or could be doing in that moment. I keep telling myself that the game IS a very important thing and I SHOULD be playing with my kids ... darned conscious!

So, how am I fighting off everything I learned as a child?

- Stop, relax, really look at my list and decide what is really important and what things do I perceive as important.
-Evaluating the time commitment of the things on my list and being choosy to what things I sign myself up todo.
- Remembering what I did in the past and deciding if those are things I would like to repeat, or if those things need to be eliminated.
- Be nice to myself and my children. Remembering that taking care of myself sometimes does mean that I am taking care of my children.