Back to Basics, Part 2.

Remembering back to the days when my kids were young and trying to get chores done, mine and theirs, when they wanted to either play, watch TV, or play video games. Now they could play video games for hours on end, and would put off doing their chores until I finally pulled the plug. So my way of getting them motivated to get the chores done right away was by rewarding them with equal time for play for equal time doing chores. That wasn't exactly the ratio, since they would take forever on their chores to get the same amount of play time. So it was something like 15 min. of play time for every task completed. If they had 5 chores to do, that equalled 75 min. of play time.

So I started thinking too how much time I wasted, either at work or home, on the computer or whatever, sometimes interferring with working out or basic chores. With no kids at home any more, my chores are not complicated, but what I consider to be chores are things like making my lunch, getting organized for the next day, putting laundry away, etc. Nothing drastic, just things I don't like doing when I get home at night. By not doing these things though, it gives me too many outs to not get going early enough to hit the gym before work or get on the treadmill at home or whatever.

Last night I put my plan into action so that I allowed myself 15 min. of computer time and then had to stop and get something done. Then I watched something on TV. Did the laundry during this. Then a phone call I had to make. Made my lunch, etc. A timer works well for this. So today my lunch was made, the clothes were organized for the gym, work clothes organized, etc. I did pilates this morning but will go to the gym this evening, and tomorrow's things are ready too. It feels good to be back focused again!