Motivating Factors

                                            

Today was a day for getting things done.  This is my working cup.

My Key Three Motivators

Before I relate the successes, and miseries, of today, I want to go back to my last post a little while.  That post about opportunities lost and taken made me think back to my original motivating factors for beginning this blog and the process of reshaping my career.  Now that I am into this process a little further, it was good to remind myself of why it began and to learn if it still holds true.  It does.

And I learned that I was able to define my motivating factors more clearly.

I came up with three things:

Family/Friends

Freedom

Fulfillment

I have much more to say on this subject, however today is an action day so I will save that post for another time.  I actually have a 'future post' file. 

Following the "To Do" List

Lists have a duo edged affect. For now, I find them useful, both in keeping me on task and in keeping me off task. I have decided to follow a process I use successfully at work and keep a weekly to to list with a few notes for future projects. So today I made a list for the week. Here is what I have been able to check off my list today.

• draft mission statement
• draft strategic plan and goals
• blog (goal is 3/week, 1 down)
• get computer fixed- (long, frustrating story)
• download new printer software
• test printer and scanner (yea! they work)
• researched stationary design software-undecided
• researched using a print shop for stationary (awaiting estimates)
• researched supplies for the 'do it yourself' option

I'll skip the miseries of the day as they are resolved now.

For the Future Post File

I will muddle through the strategic plan and goals on my own, it's ony fair.  However, I may look to you for some feedback on my mission statement and name choices. Once I get a few options drafted, I'll post them.

Keep Focus on Motivating Factors

Time to stop and smell the flowers, watch the backyard grow, and visit with the family.

Multitasking

How many things can one person do at the same time and still make any of them worthwhile? I intend to find out.

Well, that was fast.  Apparently I can not watch TV, visit with family, and blog at the same time.  Go figure.  I miss key points in the show-even a mindless one-I only half hear what someone sitting next to me says and I loose my train of thought while writing. TV watching, family time, and blog writing all become unsatisfying.

I do believe however, right or wrong, that this is a necessary skill that I must learn to master.  I don't mean specifically watching TV and blogging at the same time, but serious multiasking at home. I have recently added enough things to my daily 'to do' list that I would be up late into the night to get it all done.  I prefer sleep.  So, tonight I watch and write. The person sitting with me has already left the room.  :-(

Wait!  What just happened on TV?!

So far, mulitasking at home this evening has included feeding the dogs, letting them out, etc. while beginning to read a book, Problogger, and writing and visiting while watching TV.  I still need to get some time in with one of my online classes and I think it is only fair to get some downtime in, too. Isn't it?  Fair, I mean.

I have this dream, this goal, that keeps me moving. And multitaskaing isn't really as bad as all that, is it? (I just edited this the next day because my writing here was fragmented, maybe I should take a second look at serious multitasking)  After the dogs were taken care of and played with, after the dinner dishes were cleaned, after the dogs were taken care of, again, I was able to sit for 30 minutes to read my book undisturbed.  And what is on TV this evening is not really anything that needs much attention. And as soon as I finish this post, I will go and visit again.

Stella and Marley

In reality, I am not a big supporter of serious multitasking in life.  I think we all do it on a regular basis to some degree as a normal part of our life.  But I mean serious multitasking on a regular, long term, ongoing basis.  Some people may thrive on it, I do not. Nor do I want to.  However, there are times when I also believe that it is necessary.  This is one of those times and I actually welcome the challenge because of the passion I have for the end goal.  I also welcome the challenge to ensure that I do not loose touch with other important and essential parts (people) of my life.

I am not sure how long I can, or should, sustain a serious level of multitasking in the weeks or months to come. I know there will be a lot of it.  I also know from experience in other endeavors that I will, in time, work into a pattern of activity which will allow me to do less serious multitasking.  I welcome that time.  Until then, I am grateful for the understanding and support of my family.

Now, go back to my question at the beginning of this post.  What are some ways you multitask? When is it too much? How do you keep your multitasking from being too much?  I welcome your comments. 

Time to go visit.
Lyn

Do Something Every Day

Do Something Every Day.  This is my new mantra for learning how to blog, and other things.

On today's 'to do list' was to add a site counter and to learn how to add pictures.  Site counter completed, I moved on to the picture.  As you can see from the picture of the beautiful Swallowtail butterflies on the Joe Pye, I was successful.  These are both Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. According to my field guide, the darker one is a female.  I took the picture, and many others, the other evening in my backyard.  Every now and then they would take to the sky in a beautiful swirling dance, then return to the Joe Pye. It was quite an unexpected gift as I had just by chance looked out my kitchen window.  Not one to let the moment pass, I grabbed my camera and headed out the door.

I am also planning on adding a list of favorites and links.  And I may get rid of the quotes, like the quotes, not the ads.  However, I do plan to link up to Amazon and a few other things like that.  I mention this because one of the first links I am going to put in is an online site for online classes.  I have recently taken two classes and plan to take others.  I took a grammar 101 in preparation for putting my writing where someone might actually see it.  And I took a digital photography primer.  I have been using a digital SLR for a few years, but I wanted to get a feel for how the online classes work and also to review some of the basics. I liked the classes and will be taking more. So, I'll try to get the website into a sidebar. 

On another note, I drove into work early this morning in a light layer of fog that covered the hills down to the river near where I work.  I noticed geese gathering in the fields already, also flocks of blackbirds.  Could it be they are already preparing for southerly migrations?  Thinking of them brings to mind the transitions I am working through, or toward.  But, I am keeping this post short tonight as I have already spent considerable time on the computer trying to figure out the site counter thing.   I had my morning coffee at work today and am about to go spend some time with my family.