A Mile Wide and an Inch Deep

It was recommended to me that I try to focus on just one task at a time... to be the very best I can at that one task for the time I have allotted for it. So, in trying to do that, I felt I first needed to list and prioritize all the things I do.

First, I am a mom - an only parent- to a high needs preteen.

I homeschool him.

I run a home preschool which allows me to do that, but also comes with its own set of regulations and responsibilities.

We participate in a weekly homeschool Co-op, and host a class for homeschoolers at our house every other week.

Being an only parent and working from from home and homeschooling means we're home a LOT and I'm the main person in charge of keeping up with all the chores and responsibilities of running the household.

That's pretty much my day to day life. If that were everything i had to manage i think I could do it,  no problem.  But it's all the extra, unscheduled or out-of-routine stuff that throws me off and weighs me down. I have trouble adding anything in to my already busy schedule!

Exercise and self-care

Meal planning, grocery shopping, and meal prep

Bible studies with a dear friend

Therapy

Finding & implementing new homeschool curriculum when ours isn't working.

Planning and preparing preschool lessons.

Remembering and abiding by the book of licensing rules and regulations.

Scheduling doctor appointments and case management meetings. This means finding a sub for the preschool, paying the sub, scheduling during doctor office hours, etc. It's usually a stressful mess to arrange so many schedules and we have to have 3 or 4 of these a year.

A long weekend in St. Louis for the Joyce Meyer Womens' conference at the end of September. 

Planning and hosting various parties or gatherings throughout the year.

Sometime I'd like to go on a real vacation....

I would like to divide my day into sections - like classes in school - where I have to focus on just one task for that time period.  I think to be successful at this, I need to plan ahead - again like school classes.  I also think this will work well with what Jay needs to accomplish each day.
I know already Jay needs visual schedules for just about everything. I need to carve out time to make those for him. I don't see why I can't do something similar for myself.  I could make a digital version instead so I always have it with me. I can make a detailed calendar with alerts sent to my phone from Google for each task I need to do. I can change it as I need and check it off as I complete them.

If I fail to plan, I plan to fail...