ten things, part i.

{found via Sara Jane Elizabeth's blog}

Even though this summer has been wonderful -- delightful, really, with no Bar exam to bother us -- I find myself still struggling to get through my work week with my eyes open. I wake up tired, go to bed late. Despite my absence from Facebook, I still find myself struggling with some feelings of frustration and hurt, brought on by my own disappointment with people. (The saddest part? Sundays always seem to be the worst. It's something I'm working on, trust me.) 

So, last week, when I came across C. Jane's blog post about "ten things" -- things that make life happy and manageable, even when it's sometimes hard (because, yes, sometimes it's hard. And that's okay.) -- I decided to sit down and come up with my own list. I pondered what ten things would help me to simplify and develop good habits throughout the week, leaving my weekends a lot more free for fun and relaxation, not stress. (Who wants to spend all day Saturday cleaning and scrambling about town?) 

Ideally, I want a life that goes beyond coming home at 5:45 and absolutely crashing: no energy, no creativity, no desire to do anything but lay on the couch and watch "Swamp People." Do I love sitting and watching television with Jordan? You bet I do. And there are days I know that sometimes need to be met with nothing more than a couple of hours lounging on the couch, cuddled in blankets. But too often -- due to lack of energy or the hours I spend each day at a computer screen -- that becomes my default. That has to change, and only I can change it. 

1. Morning quiet time. This has been a year-long goal, and while I'm satisfied with my morning readings during my first five or 10 minutes at work, I know it needs to be more. Not because there's some checklist for this kind of thing, but because I know what my spirit desires and craves. Right now, it needs more Scripture. More prayer. More time to listen to the Spirit.

2. Zone duties. This one I completely stole from C. Jane, but I think it's brilliant. My own mom used to call this "blitzing." (My mom is a home management genius.) If I could just set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day (this is a house without kids, remember?) to clean a part of my home, I wouldn't have to set aside an entire Saturday each week (which, by the way, doesn't really happen that often, leaving me with a disaster of a house by the end of the month) to declutter and clean. I'm thinking my own "zones" would go something like this: 

     - Monday: laundry 

     - Tuesday: vacuum 

     - Wednesday: living room

     - Thursday: kitchen/dining

     - Friday: stairwell

     - Saturday: bedroom

     - Sunday: ironing

3. Balanced dinner. We're getting better at this, and I've come to kind of treasure our time in the kitchen, even if the meal we cook is really simple. It makes me happy to catch up on our days while we spill ingredients and check the oven. It makes me love our life. 

4. Read. I'm guilty, probably, of talking about books too much on this blog, but I can't express to you how important it is for me to have time to read. The nights when I wind up scrolling through my Google Reader or reading Twitter updates tend to feel wasted -- before I know it, I've spent two hours of my limited free time online. But the nights I get to sit and read, even briefly? I go to bed earlier, or wind up sharing some quote or another with Jordan, or just generally feel good about stretching my brain and getting lost in a plot. Reading -- a book, not a magazine or blog -- is a must for me.

5. Walk. Guys, I'm going to be honest: I quit Couch to 5k. I think I made it two weeks before I had to have stitches in my leg (a non-related procedure), and after that... I gave up. Just didn't care anymore. I hate to be that girl that hates to exercise, but I am. Don't like the gym, have no desire to Zumba. The only thing I really like to do is walk. So for now, I need to make time for that. Even if it's just to the mailbox. (Pathetic, I know.) Walking makes me feel at peace, and gets me out of doors. (Have you seen the latest Applebee's commercial, the one where the coworkers exit their office building and begin moaning, wondering what that big bright yellow thing is in the sky? Yeah, that's, sadly, the life of a desk worker.) I feel much better after I get out of work and stretch a bit, so for now, walking seems to be the most satisfactory answer. (Though I'm inclined to incorporate yoga in there too...)

Numbers six through 10 coming tomorrow. What makes you happy?