Various tips and tricks

<pulls hair out> Once again, my most beloved children (must say only nice things) woke me up early.  6:10 a.m.  Six Ten AY EM.  <pauses to pull hair out again>  We will be having a family meeting here soon to discuss appropriate voice levels and door shutting techniques. 

Today is full of activity beginning with physicals for Rowan and Isabella at 8:30 a.m. and ending with my teaching Year and a Day 101.  (see http://www.sacredwisdomhealing.com/ for more info.)  My writing time has been shortened for the day so I will be posting various tips and tricks from books I've mentioned over the last few days.

From Sleep, "Start a stress diary. For at least two weeks, keep a list of events, times, places and people that seem to make you feel more stressed. You’ll probably be surprised to find that a pattern soon emerges. For instance, you may be sensitive to time pressure – an approaching deadline or the daily grind of getting the kids dressed and ready by 8 o’clock for the school run."  (Kindle Locations 655-658).

If you do this task prior to bed it can help cut back on mental clutter.  Mental clutter is a reason behind many's fall to sleep time.

From The Joy of Less, "As you’re taking stock of your possessions, don’t give an automatic pass to anything artsy. Just because it appealed to you one summer’s day at a craft fair, doesn’t mean it deserves a lifelong lease on your living room mantel. On the other hand, if it always brings a smile to your face—or if its visual harmony stirs your soul with a deeper appreciation for the beauty of life—its place in your home is well-deserved."  (p. 11).

You gotta love this one, "Now that we have a better understanding of where we stand in the world (and not just compared to celebrities or our neighbors), let’s wrap up our discussion of “enough” with a little exercise. It’s very straightforward; all you’ll need is paper and pencil (or a computer, if you prefer). Ready? Go through your house, and make a list of everything you own. I know some of you are looking at this page incredulously; but no, I’m not kidding. Make a list of every book, every plate, every fork, every shirt, every shoe, every sheet, every pen, every knickknack—in short, every single object—that resides inside your home. Too difficult? Try just one room. Still can’t do it? How about just one drawer. It’s pretty overwhelming, isn’t it? Do you still feel like you don’t have enough?"  (p. 44).

Limits to my yarn and fiber?  Blasphemy!  "Limits also help tame those ever-multiplying craft and hobby supplies. Whether you’re a beader, knitter, scrapbooker, model builder, woodworker, or soapmaker, limit your materials to one storage bin. When it starts to overflow, use up some of your old stash before acquiring anything new—it’s great motivation to finish the projects you’ve started. Not only does it reduce your clutter, it’s a good reality check: do you enjoy doing the craft as much as collecting the materials for it? If not, perhaps you should rethink your hobby; and if so, you should have no problem using up those supplies."  (p. 78).

Before I've cut and pasted the whole book here, let's move on.  From Magical Housekeeping, "We've all, at certain times in the past, been badly hurt and badly treated. For a very long time, I made a point of holding on to my pain and my anger, and on some level I even defined myself by it. But now I can see that whenever I hold on to a hurt or blame someone else for doing something to me, I'm giving away my power. I am, in effect, saying, "I do not have power over my own life. That person (or condition) has power over me, and I am helpless to do anything about it." Beginning to forgive and to let go of these old hurts allows us to take the first step in reclaiming our power and finding peace in our lives. Remember: it's not for other people's sake that we forgive, but for our own."  (p. 15). 

From The Power of Less, "reasons not to multitask: Multitasking is less efficient, due to the need to switch gears for each new task and then switch back again. Multitasking is more complicated, and thus leaves you more prone to stress and errors. Multitasking can be crazy-making, and in this already chaotic world, we need to rein in the terror and find a little oasis of sanity and calm."  (p. 28). 

And unfortunately I am going to have to end there.  My fatigue levels are too high to sustain reading and thinking.  Hopefully I can fit in a power nap later or I'm likely to drool on the students this evening.  Thanks children!