Focusing on one thing at a time

I know it isn't groundbreaking or anything, but I've discovered focusing on one thing at a time. For so long, I've been a crazy multi-tasker, but recently I've felt worn down by doing too much at the same time and not really seeing the results of such frantic activity. It's been truly difficult to slow down and concentrate on one thing and I'm still struggling, but oh, the results are not what I expected! It's difficult transitioning to doing only one thing at a time because there's this little voice in the back of my mind telling me that I need to shift my focus and do something else or it won't get done. I've had to work really hard to ignore that voice.

On Monday, I spent a couple of hours cleaning the fridge. It had to be done. Things were gettting bad in there and that's not normal for me. I took everything out. I looked at expiration dates on everything. I took out every single drawer and shelf and washed them in soapy water. I hand dried every shelf and put them back. I had to throw out a few things- some moldy cheese and a couple of liquefied veggies. I made a list of things I needed to replace. The whole time though, I felt this nudge to get a move onto something else or this would be the only thing I got done today. I knew that wasn't true. I'd get more accomplished, but at the time, it felt true. I didn't listen and I stayed focused. It turned out that I ended up being much happier that I stuck with the unpleasant task rather than breaking it up into bits because I thought I could get more done if I worked on a few things at the same time. I was much happier to have the whole fridge cleaned and I was free to move onto something else. I always joke that I have some form of adult ADD or something, but I believe it's just lack of discipline. I need to re-learn the discipline of staying focused long enough to see something through despite all the chatter to the contrary. I thought about this past weekend where I was determined to cut and sew the topper to The Hungry Caterpillar quilt. I didn't read and I didn't knit. I sewed and I was amazed. I had completed the topper! I didn't have a half-sewn project, a half-read book or a half-knit object!


It shouldn't amaze me at the results, but it does. Multi-tasking has left me feeling bereft, unaccomplished and unfinished. I've seen projects pile up some only barely started.


I've always had several books going at once as well and I only realized recently that this has made me a much slower reader. Although there will always be several books on my nightstand, it's been a real eye-opener to re-discover reading only one book at a time. It's another thing that's been very difficult for me. I'm too interested in so many different things, but it's not calming to pursue them all at once I've discovered. If I concentrate on only one thing at a time, it doesn't mean that I'm no longer interested in all those other things.

Take knitting, for example. I'm so over-inspired to knit that I've bought way too much yarn and I'm left feeling like I've more than I can manage. I yearn for a more simple life (less is more), but the way I live doesn't really reflect that at all. It takes serious discipline to work on only one thing at a time.

Thank you Sarah and MaryG for helping me manage my yarn. I'll be boxing up your new-to-you yarn today and shipping tomorrow. I'll post a new picture of my now not-overflowing yarn basket later today!

In this post, I mentioned this abandoned quilt project. Any quilter out there who would like to take on re-inventing this quilt? Like I mentioned in that previous post, I have plenty of extra fabric to send along with the topper. It's very bright and Spring-like. Can't you see that I'm practically begging someone to take this?

Less is more. Less is more. Less is more. Less is more. Less is more.

In today's world, it's a challenge to focus on those things that give us pure joy. It shouldn't be, but it is. Life is full of distractions and that's normal, but when it comes to doing anything worthwhile (yes, even cleaning the fridge), it's important to give it all we've got.

Stash management

Any takers? A lot of these are full skeins, but I can't help rolling everything into balls. I've got a lot of random worsted. Most of this would be ideal for fun hats with bright colors. There are some sock yarns. Sometimes, I double strand a worsted with a sock yarn for a hat and it creates a fun effect. I'm not comfortable with so much yarn just sitting here. So, if you didn't get some yarn from Jenn, you're in luck here. Please leave me a comment. If there's more than one person interested, I'll just draw a winner. I really hope one of you readers out there can use this. I hate wasted yarn. I've bought a lot of yarn and I really only want to have yarn for a couple of WIPs at a time. It's just too much (at least for me)!

Next up: reducing the fabric stash!

February Daybook

Outside My window: I woke up this morning to snow. It's been snowing all day, but we've only gotten about two inches and that's snow I can handle. It's around 2 pm now and the sun is peaking out now.

I am listening to: the Kitchenaid mixer. Luke is baking oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies without my assistance. I'm sitting down for the first time today. I was knitting a sock and then I thought that I might update my blog. Tessie is still sleeping, but I expect that she'll be up soon from her nap, but for now, I hear the Kitchenaid.

I am wearing: I'm wearing a pair of jeans, red slippers, a pink long-sleeved t-shirt and a black fleece vest. It's comfy, but not pretty.

Favorite things: finishing books and projects. I hope to finish reading both The Day I became an Autodidact and Simplicity Parenting and my pair of socks that I started a week ago using sport weight yarn from Sunshine Yarns in the colorway Field of Flowers.

From the kitchen: Tonight, it's spicy turkey soup except that I'm using chicken (I know I've linked this recipe before) and well, Luke is baking cookies right now and even though I don't really love banana bread, I'm going to bake another loaf for Paul since he really likes taking it to work in the mornings.

I am creating: a menu for Lent and Luke's school schedule. He's been doing pretty well on his own, but I think he does even better when all of his tasks are written down for each day.

Home Comforts: We are trying to stay clutter-free as best as we can so that we can feel less overwhelmed by random stuff everywhere. We are getting there, but I feel we could do well with even more stuff removed from our home. I'm really trying to make good decisions about what I buy. Is there a place for it? Do I really want to store it? Do I really need it? The hard part is creating balance. I don't want an empty home. How does one create a cozy home with the right amount of things?

I am reading: The Happiness Project, Simplicity Parenting, The Day I became an Autodidact and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn....too much at a time. On the MP3 player: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Plans for the rest of the week: Getting our taxes together and organized, shredding some papers that we no longer need to save and hopefully selling some stuff on Craig's List....Slowly shedding unnecessary stuff is part of my Winter plans.

Holiness in the every day: Gearing up for Lent and practicing contentment



Picture thought I am sharing :

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. Wow, it's really early this year. I still have a few Christmas items to put away. Luke and I didn't even finish reading A Christmas Carol until the middle of January. Now, the Dickens novel sits on my nightstand awaiting me to put it in the Christmas books box. We finally found that missing ornament behind some cookbooks. Take a wild guess who could have done that. It drove me crazy that the cute little carved wooden squirrel ornament that Sammy had received for St. Nicholas day had vanished. So, it seems that there are still some Christmas items that need my attention.

Although I knew that Lent would be starting early this year, It still snuck up on me and I found myself unprepared. A few days ago, I started thinking about what I would be giving up this year. As we began the new year, we went on what we call super-saver mode and I promised my hubby that I would not buy any books during the month of January while we made some financial goals. That was tough. So, I thought I would continue on that path for Lent, but this time I would stay away from Amazon and other booksites altogether. I use Amazon extensively to research new books, new topics, new hobbies, etc. Right now, my current obsession is knitting and I've been looking at many knitting books. I will have to stay away from real bookstores as well! So, I thought a little harder and thought I might extend this book fast to include knitting supplies and beautiful yarns. I am a beginner anyway. How can I possibly use up that much yarn in 40 days?? After thinking this through last night, I made one last little purchase (it wasn't all for me!). After thinking about this, I saw this post in a couple of different places and it made me think...a lot. I started pondering how relevant this is to my thoughts on de-cluttering and not adding anything more for a while. I felt that this post came at the right time. I've felt overwhelmed lately, but somehow I kept adding more things (to read, to think about, to do, to study, etc). I want and need to de-clutter my brain as well as my home. Lent is the perfect time for that. It's a time to cast out all the bad and keep only what is good and beautiful. I read these following words over and over trying to absorb them so I could apply them to my life. I want to profit by this Lenten season and in these words I believe I've found the key!

"Almost all of my successes in life have come because I do less than other people not more. I realized this the other day. I am not one of those whirling women impressing the luncheon guests. If I have less of a garden and less of a house and less curricula, fewer hobbies, fewer errands, smaller expectations I accomplish more. "

I figured that during these forty days of Lent, I could slow down, turn inward and have well, way more room for God because I've cleaned out and de-cluttered the space. Isn't it ironic that by slowing down and simplifying, I might just accomplish more? So, as I enter Lent, I find myself happier that I will be taking a break from so many of the wonderful things out there, but truly making room for the King of kings in my heart. Those wonderful things will still be there to be discovered, but now is a time for reflection and prayer.

By the way, this is the one book I chose for daily prayer and meditation during Lent.

Have a blessed Lent!