2.12.2012

Protecting my time



Just because I could do something, doesn’t mean I should.

Do you ever read something that creeps into your brain and won't let go?

Just because I could do something, doesn’t mean I should.

Or a sentence that in its simplicity and basic wisdom, solves all of the problems that you can't seem to solve.

Just because I could do something, doesn’t mean I should. 

Can you guess that I read something recently?


I did. I read this post "How to protect your time from too many good ideas" on Small Notebook, one of my favorite places on the web. And it may have just changed everything.


I have ideas for new businesses and products and blogs themes and DIY projects at least 20 times a day. I daydream and ruminate and plan and execute and think about. And I spend vital life energy, that I don't have available to give. So when I read Rachel's blog post {last year}, it was like someone gave me permission to go take a nap in the middle of preparing Thanksgiving dinner. It was like pulling the get out of jail card. But what does that mean really?

It means that for all the simplifying and living with less that I have created in our external environment, I have left the one environment that really affects me the most, cluttered and disorganized. No wonder sitting in meditation in the last year has been more like 30 minutes of "mindful to-do list making".

Essentially, I am re-prioritizing, re-assesing and re-ducing the half attended ideas in my head. The new problem is that our "project haus" has more potential than I know what to do with and right now, well, all I need to be doing is taking care of this peanut and myself.

So for now, here are the good ideas that I am letting go of:
  • Making my own laundry soap, inspired by this post by Penelope Dullaghan
  • Setting up a weekly girls night every Thursday night, inspired by Thursdays
  • Making Montessori placemats, inspired by these on Etsy
  • Making a photo worthy breakfast everyday, inspired by the oh so lovely Bkfst
  • Writing a post on education, inspired by Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk
Care to let go of any good ideas today?

3 comments:

Nicola said...

So so true. Nicely posted!

Dreena M. Tischler said...

I love this! A wise friend of mine once said that in his life, he had pared down to only doing the things that were "worth doing." And now it was time to decide which of those things he was willing to let go of. Sometimes there is not enough time for even worthwhile ventures.

Thanks for giving me pause for reflection.

Deb @ home life simplified said...

Great post - I am a big fan of letting go of things to free my time and energy, but like you my mind is one place I have to work on still - being a lover of information and books I find myself constantly overloaded by possibility - so much to soak in, so much to work on, so much to try. Focus is one of my key words this year as i let go of trying to make them all happen and take it one idea at a time.