Friday Five by Five

[Harriet]

Do you take this advice... .."Write down 5 things you want to get done by five o'clock." ?

P and P liked that advice, and they preceded it with the idea to write down 5 things that bother you. That is a good jumping-off point, mentally, to come up with specific priorities for a given day. Whatever's bugging you - that gives a good idea of things you should handle soon. They also gave the advice to save the cards (or whatever you used) as success cards to keep track of how many things you actually accomplished.

If you think in terms of a few main priorities each day... ...

Do you always write these down, or try to memorize?
Do you ever forget if you don't write it, or is memory all you need?
What time of day do you do this exercise in priorities?
How do you avoid sidetracking?
What's your motivation? Do you get a reward?

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~
Thanks for opening the thread, Harriet. Good topic!

I use the 5x5 idea on the days when I'm being pulled in too many directions and need to plan the most efficient route -- either physically on the road with a list of errands, or mentally with diverse responsibilities. I don't write it on paper, I record the plan here in PWYC.

Since I usually start later in the day (like Lucylee), I don't do 5 tasks by 5:00p.m. but rather x number of items by X:00p.m., whether Xp.m. is 7 or 9 or midnight.

I do find it very helpful. Usually just typing and posting the plan in the morning sticks it in my head well enough to work through, but once in awhile the day gets so crazy that I need to come back and read the list to make sure I'm still on track.

Today I won't need it though, since the focus of the day will be Christmas gifts.

Yesterday I had a nice easy day. Quiet in the morning to recover from Wednesday's errands. I researched online and found a great tutorial video for a refresher course on the prettiest way to finish DMIL's sewing table mat. Searched through my fabric stash for the best choice for the color of the binding around the outside. I had one that was good, but then I remembered a better one and had to find where I'd stored it. (Must organize my cotton print fabrics now that I have a large stash of them!) Decluttered a couple things and did some laundry.

Throughout the day I cleared space to set up the large cutting mat, cut the fabric pieces, and cleared off the sewing table. The temptation to be sidetracked into major decluttering was strong, but I'm working toward a firm deadline to finish DMIL's gift before Sunday morning, so I stayed on target.

By 9p.m. I had the dimensions and pattern design figured out, all the fabric pieces cut and pressed, and everything ready to start sewing today. Hopefully the actual sewing won't take as long as all the prep work! However, that is the way a lot of my sewing projects go -- a lot of time planning ahead means a lot less time will be needed with the seam ripper.

I must answer a few Emails, and then I can thread the machine and start playing. 1 more cup of coffee will help.

[Lilac]

I have called the eye drs. office and talked to the incompetent girl who helped me. They have started my glasses and can add the scratch resistant stuff to them. In looking again at my last pair of glasses receipt, I did not have that added. It is $30 a pair, but as clumsy as I am getting, I probably need it. I keep telling myself that if I absolutely hate these frames, I have gift money saved that I could replace them.

When I hit the bed last night, I literally closed my eyes and was asleep.

Dh wants to go to Tulsa, OK in January to the Chili Bowl. It is the small Sprint car races. I am not interested in going. There are several guys from the plant who go every year. So today he is going to try and find a hotel room. If he can find one, he'll buy tickets for the races.

Dm is not leaving until 9 or so. She said she will call before she leaves.

I am still kicking myself that everything is not perfect, but you know what, it is what it is!

Back to work. At some point I need to shower, make a list and go run multiple errands.

[blessedw2]

actually you are my motivation (lets say inspiration too) many a time d harriet... your posts help me focus!
hi d book you did great yesterday!
D lilac you ARE doing great!Be kind to yourself and realize what you have done is great!

my 5 x 5's today may be just a 1 x 1 that I want to get done. I need to finish the lights outside the house.
d cousins coming in today for lunch (out of state)

I also am a bit overwhelmed/well stressed that I just found out my time is being cut down further before french cousins come in and Christmas - as I just found out I have another cousin coming in as a surprise from out of state and wants of course to have lunch


so: I need to be realistic about my time so there will be a lot of thought on what is doable and enjoyable or crazy and frazzled

Friday: lunch with cousin and aunt - men come to finish shower install
Saturday:
dd younger comes in tomorrow and we have to make a visit to drop off presents, buy her christmas present as it's something I haven't a clue what she needs, take her to get dd olders present from her
Sunday: Christmas tree cut down and decorating
Monday: nothing planned
Tuesday: dr. appointment for specialist with dd downtown all day
Wednesday: 17 take dd to airport so she can take her finals
Friday: 19 pick up dd from airport
somewhere between the 19 to the 23 my cousin comes in
22 two cousins come in from Europe... so downtown for 22/23
24 Christmas eve at 1:00 at family gathering. (includes cooking)
25 5 kids leave to visit my dmom in Florida


Trying not to panic but look at the blessing of spending time with family (still panicking though )

[helia]

((blessed)) You do have a lot going on. You are great about remembering priorities, like spending time with family. I'm sure you'll be a blessing to them.

I hope you have a good time with dmom, Lilac!

Happy sewing today, Bookie!

I like 5x5s, Harriet. I'm done with my final commitment at 7:15, so maybe I'll try 7x7.

1. WW meeting - Done!
2. a.m. routine
3. hand wash wool sweater
4. Listen to some CNN student news broadcast to prep for tutoring
5. Progress on pile of mail by the phone
6. make veggie tray for youth group party
7. tutor A 3:30 - 5
8. help with registration for the youth group party, 6:30 - 7:15

I guess that was 8.

I just learned Wed. night that Dh's entire lab will be coming over for a Christmas party - next Thursday. He said they're going to have the food catered so we don't have to worry about food. There are about 32? people working in his lab, plus family members are invited, so maybe 50?? SO, we will be hosting a party next week.

Rambling Rant/Situation: I got into an email situation with dfriend S yesterday. She forwarded an article to R, dh, and myself and asked for our opinion on it. It was about professional women in the church. Unfortunately, it hit some of my hot buttons re: how hard it is to get people to help out in certain areas of the church. Everyone likes the glorious public jobs; no one wants to help in the nursery -- and our church has a LOT of babies and has a hard time keeping the nurseries staffed. Anyhow, I sent a response with my thoughts that was a bit critical of the article, and I did write one sentence that was about dfriend S, which I regret as it was not helpful. Her MO with our church now is to attend very sporadically while also being highly critical of it. She is correct in many ways; our church sure has its share of dysfunctions and she sees them - I'd imagine any group of human beings does. But she herself is not actively engaged in helping. There's history to all this and her posture, which I won't go into here. I honestly didn't think the email would hurt her feelings, but apparently it did. Dh was flabbergasted at my email. I guess in retrospect it was obvious that it wouldn't be helpful. . . I tend to think of highly critical people as having tough skin, but I think the opposite is often true. Anyhow, dh and I discussed all this at length last night after I got home from the potluck. I then sent an email apologizing and explaining how I hadn't intended to implicate her in the email (though I was thinking about her with that one sentence) and how the article had hit my buttons. I haven't heard anything yet, so I have no idea where she is at with this. *sigh*

[Nancy]

(Blessedw2) Breathe.
Helia well she did want your opinion.
Seems to me folks are extra sensitive around the holidays.
Today I have done the first five.
Trying to stay on track.
Rethinking and wondering how I can do 60 min. Of ex. Daily in 20 min. 3x a day. Did leaf removal for some this a.m. I have been up and down the stairs too.

Journal underway now. Missed 2 days of it this week. Sigh.

[Twins' Mom]

Harriet, a 5 x 5 or 5 x 6 sounds like a good plan for today. I've already had a mixed up day so laying it out now will allow me to regroup. I got up later than usual - after 8 a.m. - and shortly after getting remembered that dMacs was to be at PT today at 9. Or, I thought I remembered, and that was what my calendar said. So I got him ready and took off - and at 9:10 texted Ptherapist and appt is at 3 p.m. And when I thought about it some more, I realized that is correct and I put the wrong time down on my calendar. Next Tuesday is at 9 a.m. because P therapist is gone the rest of the week.

So I came back home and started decluttering, cleaning up like crazy for dcleaning lady, who was to be here at 10 or 10:30 instead of 9 a.m., thankfully. Once done with that, I sat down and read the newspaper and am regrouping now.

So 5 big things:
-wrapped child's gift for party this evening (This I still don't understand - where are the gifts going and how will they know what age/gender gift is inside? Or is this a cute way of saying a "white elephant" type of exchange?)
-trip to other synagogue to get gift card for volunteer director to the paid director to present
-dMacs PT
-put reminder on Facebook for temple events happening on Sunday
-be ready (appropriate dress w make up) for dh's work holiday party at 6 p.m this evening

[Elizabeth]

Hi Everyone! DD12 and I did NOT go shopping last night, nor did we have to get any homework done. Instead we went to a local amusement park. We only had about an hour, but spent the entire time riding rather than standing in lines. After delivering her to the X, I went looking for an ugly Christmas sweater. I went to T arget and W algreens because I hate shopping at W Mart. I ended up at W Mart anyway and found one. It's not hideous enough, but it will do until something worse comes along. A lady on the train suggested I add POM POMS to my ugly sweater in progress. I have the perfect, non-matching green and will put pom poms in the center of each motif. Dreadful.

Then, I did massive amounts of cleanup in my house, mostly floors. DFosterCat6 seems to be feeling better, but I arranged a vet trip for him on Saturday. Since he clearly has parasites, I wanted to get the floor in his main room really cleaned up.

Did I do the door repair or the hose bib? No. Will I get to them tonight? Hope so. I have DD this evening for a Christmas concert at church, but not overnight. The X wanted me to take her Saturday, and gave me plenty of advance warning (not his strong suit). However, even though we have three potential volunteers to cover morning adoption clinic shifts, one is out of town, the other has been in the hospital, leaving yours truly, and DD is too young to be allowed at the clinic. (She has volunteered at many clinics, starting around age 4. She was the only one who could fit into some of the cages to clean them. She loved doing this and the animal org loved having her. However, the venue at which we show the animals changed the rules and now you have to be 14, even if a parent is with you the whole time.)

lilac: The X found that the anti-glare coating made his glasses get dirtier faster. Not sure if anyone else had this experience. I have never had anti-glare. I do strongly recommend the anti-scratch!

Harmony: I am with you on the parking spaces. HATE, HATE, HATE the ones marked compact only. I will drive a wagon until they quit making them. (And then I will get a classic one). If I am ever a rich alumna, the thing I most want to buy for my university is a parking garage for the students. And there will be one set-in-stone caveat: the second best parking places will be marked LARGE CAR ONLY and require a large car permit! (The best parking places will, of course, be marked handicapped). The 1963 Comet was marketed as a 'compact' car. It is also longer than my wagon.

In answer to Harriet's question: All things must be written for me, on an actual piece of paper, electronic lists don't work for me. I rely on my memory for absolutely nothing. No one will ever know if I have dementia, because I have always been forgetful. I started making my lists when I was about seven. Strangely enough, the abysmal memory helped me in my academic life, because I could only remember one form of the formulas I needed to know for tests. I had to really understand them to be able to derive the forms I needed from the one I knew.

[blessedw2]

I am sorry d Helia...I think those that criticize the most have very thin skin (but not on purpose) - they don't see it as criticism as much as giving an opinion (I have found in my own experience with vocal people) - I also find critical people tremendously unaware that they are hurting other people; actually I have found my own d mom shocked that something she has said upset me - she is literally flabbergasted and can't understand my reaction even though I am direct and not mean.

I also find the ones that are the most critical tend to do the least at volunteer areas - Their opinion is their way of "helping" in their minds and their minds alone.

You were put in a bad spot and she triggered the frustration. All you can do is talk to her personally when she is ready. I learned the hard way to step back from the computer when I feel like answering - and then keeping it on a positive note even though inside I don't feel that way - have have learned by reiterating back to someone but acknowledge the negative comments has helped me more than once - Actually I have found the emails are many times interpreted from the readers point of view. ((()))

DD older put it this way - as she fights the tendency to tell people what she sees as problems. She sees that issues can be worked out even though her statements of help comes out as critical and hurtful - She said she sees things as falling through the cracks that she has to repair (her responsibility as no one will do it) or make sure that others are aware that things aren't working... (I have had to share with her that we all are aware when things aren't working and now she sees that). she has learned that it actually hurts others (which is huge at such a young age) but for her it is front and center in her brain and she dislikes that she feels this way. She said the intensity to fix things is huge. (lol not me)

much love((())) it will pass - and hopefully she will gain insight from it.

[Harriet]

I am a firm believer in the 5x5 for my life. It helps to pare chaos down to calm!

I do not save those 5x5s, although I have thought about it. (The only time I've really ever used P and P's ideas of saving for posterity is the journal cards I made during a tough time.) I suppose if I did run across old 5x5s that had been lost for years, it would be reassuring. I would be saying thank goodness I got those things done or where would I be? LOL

The best time for me to make a 5x5 is the night before, but it is often a 4x5, because I know my "sleep on it" habits. I will awaken with a very good candidate for that extra spot, so I leave one open!

About trying to remember what I thought of the night before - sometimes that works and sometimes I think 2 days later of what I meant to write, and learn a lesson.

As BookSaver said, a great place to write down 5 things is PWYC.

blessed, I know those days in which one chore can overwhelm. I hope it is beautiful when you are finished and warms your heart.

helia, Nancy has summed up 2 bright points for you. Do read them again. You've also got feelings, and I imagine when you say "hit my hot buttons" another way to say that, is to say your feelings got hurt first. If that article was going to be inflammatory to you, sending it to you was the same as engaging in "tough" conversation, and setting the tone for the back-and-forth communication that would follow.