Angel/devil graffiti art: “The hidden truth of every woman.”
My plans for this evening got derailed when Ruthie came down with strep throat. So instead of being gone most of the afternoon until late evening, we’re now hanging out at home where she is resting in bed with a movie.
This sort of unexpected free time doesn’t come often. There was a day in July when the boys were at Cub Scout camp and Ruthie was at a friend’s, but I had to work. And there are times when Bryan takes the kids so I can work or finish a project, or pack for a trip.
But when I’m staring down the barrel of multiple hours of free time all in a row, it generates more mental chaos than Jesse Pinkman’s conscience.
My brain starts shouting at me to relax! No, clean the kitchen! Wait, finish hanging pictures on the wall! Shut up, you should journal, or write a blog post, or catch up on work, or paint your nails, or, OR!, OR!!!
And then I end up wishing I’d done something else anyway, and so there’s regret to top it off.
Today I thought I’d try something different. I’m going to do whatever I want for fifteen minutes, then do something responsible for fifteen minutes, then alternate back and forth all evening. My hope is that I’ll fully enjoy my downtime and not worry about everything that is undone, then be fully present in my chores because it is, after all, only fifteen minutes.
I’ll let you know how it goes. My alarm is clanging, so off to clean the kitchen!
How do you cope with unexpected free time?
I cope with it the same way you do, just a mess of paralyzing desire to do all the things. 🙂
great minds…
i do it according to task, though–collect the laundry, then maybe a chapter of a book i’m, reading, clean the litter box, then work on one of my craft projects for a certain amount of time or until i reach a logical stopping point.
this way, i’m not worrying about a clock or setting a timer (which i’ve never owned)