Mastering My Tasks

Today's prompt suggests we evaluate how we spend our day so that we can see how much of our time is spent on those things that mean the most to us. I won't make a list of what I do, exactly, because it would only embarrass me to share with you the myriad ways in which I waste time that would be better spent on other things that actually matter. The number one thing I waste time doing, though, is sitting at my computer. Whether it is blogging, checking social networks or article jumping - too much time is spent doing it.

With that in mind, I'm going to do that thing that people do to their children...give myself a time limit. I know how long it takes me to blog, a task I enjoy, and check email and whatnot. So I'm just going to give myself X amount of time to do that a day. And, hello, my iPad dings when I have new email so I really don't need to log in 10 times a day hoping that I'll hear from a literary agent or maybe my mom. Which will shockingly open up tons of time for things like: daily exercise, taking the boy child to the park or zoo, concentrating on writing and sketching out illustrations for books and getting things that need done actually done early enough that the husband and I can enjoy those few hours the kids are both asleep before I have to pass out from parenting exhaustion.

Of course, that will all start after I get back from vacation. Because I'm about to spend two weeks on the coast with family and meeting up with friends, largely disconnected from the computer and with sketchbooks in hand during down time.

They say it takes 10 days to create a habit. Here's hoping the next 16 will help me develop habits that matter.