Lyfe update & categories of time
While tidying up my desk, I chanced upon a notebook journal of mine capturing notes between 2000 and 2003 with a few entries from 2008.
I've continued to grow up since then. As have we all. I think a big difference is that I don't take as much time to analyze my thoughts and "growing up" as much. Part of that is because I already have a good handle on it and process it quickly, so I don't need my journal to do so. The other part of is that I struggle for time to manage my priorities.
And my priorities are easier for me to list now, especially as an inference of what I spend my time doing. Being a mother and the grown woman of a household has constricted the luxuries of self analysis via the written word.
My life categories (what takes my time) in rough order and some notes:
Work:
- Primary insurance provider
- Studying for architecture exams
- Proving myself and learning the new job
- Establishing myself at the new workplace
- Understanding how I can serve the world through this role
The new job is a breath of fresh air. Largely the people are focussed on serving the community through a variety of means, are liberal thinkers that have a vision beyond their paycheck. It's not just how intelligent, informed and exposed that people are, but that they are willing to share in conversations and visions for the world beyond themselves.
My boss is a gem in many ways as a boss - he takes responsibility for his decisions and direction, he is extremely flexible and forgiving and he allows me the freedom to take full responsibility for my work. I feel free to learn and progress my own skills in ways I could not have even imagined.
The work itself is strategy level and requires my full capabilities for thinking, planning, people management and costing. I am learning (albeit slowly and by myself) financial accounting principles which I need to learn at the next level.
On the Architecture side of things I am lagging badly. I need to keep up with my LEED AP as well as keep studying for my exams. I am performing poorly at those and worried about it.
Parenting:
- Domestic administration - meals, cleanup, drop-off, pick-up, clothes, shoes
- Parent development - *parenting books, thinking & evolving as a parent
- Child development - classroom curriculum, toy selection,
- Time with the child - reading, playing, potty-time, sleep time, bath-time
- Excursions - Zoo time, playground, need to find more
Development as a parent is fast and furious, although *I am not spending enough time reflecting and taking stock of the progress. Thus I am not directing and designing this progress as I should be. Although there is a good balance with my parenting, I admit to needing to spend more time on the administrative overview of our progress (mine as a parent, and my daughter's as she develops), so that we can craft better planned paths.
There is a lot of time expended in the administrative overheads - cooking, cleanup, shopping for basics, diapers, clothes, shoes, reading reviews to see the best product / toy / medicing for her etc. I have been successful in reducing these efforts.
Overall child rearing has been a consumptive (ie enjoyment) effort more than a productive one. I need to re-balance to include more productive activities (my own evolution and planning).
Friends & Social time:
- Parties at home, baby showers, setup, cleanup etc.
- Helping friends with their life paths, nurturing younger friends
- Helping neighbors and checking in
- Attractions
Keeping in touch with old friends has slipped to very dangerous levels. New friends seemed to have necessitated a lot of investment and I am putting a lot more emphasis on this aspect of my life than I would like to the neglect of other areas of life, and older friends. Also seem to be drawn to certain people and have invested gobs of time on those relationships.
I need to refocus attention to longer standing relationships as well as friendships that require more perspective and productive evolution.
Some of this social time is a productive leadership of social capital for Asha. However,
this is another area of life where I am consuming a lot and producing very little; only inasmuch as those whom I help or counsel evolve themselves. Definitely need to rebalance and turn this down considerably.
Service:
- Asha work - project work, chapter direction, mentoring
- Asha work - marathon & run training, sustaining interest
- Block Unit - community event participation, block related work
- Block Unity - community organization, distributing information, ideating, vision
Another area of my life that has consumed a large portion of time. The new Asha team is energized, but needs direction. I am only playing a passive leadership role, but it is still time consuming. I need to manage this so it is a more efficient use of my time.
Block Unit work is satisfying and crosses boundaries with my work and possibly my future professional / personal direction. Although I need to explore this more, I need to be smart about it in relation to my Architecture work. Understanding how to balance this will require meditation.
Sustainability and green has totally fallen off the list and once again, I need to re-invest. This is also going to require meditation so I can understand its relative place in my life.
Health & Body:
- Saturday Running - Seems to take 4hrs every Sat, which is too much.
- Gym, Hiking, activites
- Illnesses - recoveries, adbomen pain, pink eye, fatigue
- Child illnesses - ear infections, surgery, pediatrician visits
- Mental / Emotional stability with new friendships and new work and new parenting life.
Over the last 2 years I have expended a lot of time in being sick in one way or another. It appears to have finally come to an end and the whole family is healthier. It seemed as though pregnancy, recovery and then daycare was the root cause of multiple bodily onslaughts. So many of the consumptive categories like social time are "recovery" related in mental & physical ways. Still not an excuse for their excessive emphasis.
Running takes up too much time because it is tied to the service for Asha, its social capital and sustenance. It's a struggle to focus on fitness and it helps to have rejoined the YMCA. This is singularly the most efficient use of my time currently.
As always, not enough time sleeping and re-generating.
Domestic & Administrative:
- Cleanup around the house
- Food prep & cooking
- Yard work (summer is here)
- Smart phone and technology upkeep
- Travel planning and trips
- * Personal finance
Domestic administrations have been the sand that have filled the rock-filled-mug, and it certainly seems to fill up to negate sleep. I've challenged and reduced my standards for neatness because I recognize that it must take away from other life experiences.
D regularly reminds me that food prep and cooking has long consumed a lot more of our time than it should. We have responded by eating out more.
I really need to spend more time purging time consuming material accumulations that lead to attachments and maintenance. But this is so low on the priority list that it will continue to have to be sand around the rocks.
* Really need more time on personal finances, they are suffering without a good vehicle into which I can fill, shut and forget.
Spiritual & Evolutionary:
Definitely very little time has been given to this category, so much so I don't even have bullets. I would like to re-invest in Paramartha, philosophy, reading, knowledge production and more. This category too seems to be taking a backseat to work and parenting, and I need to carve time at least for daily prayer.
Self analysis has become part of the sand around the rocks. Snatched away from sleep. Like now.
Documenting life experiences (in the form of blogs, or organizing photographs) have completely fallen off the table. I rely on friends and D to help me recall the experiences I enjoy with them and am processing the place of these experiences in my life on the fly. I wonder if I enjoy them less as a result. Overall, documenting experiences has become more consumptive (an extension of the enjoyment of the experience itself) rather than evolutionary. I am sad about not being able to share experiences more widely with friends and family. I should probably try to do better.
This, I hope, is a form of prayer. The perspective and overview which will hopefully help me re-organize and design my life the way I need it to be.
I've continued to grow up since then. As have we all. I think a big difference is that I don't take as much time to analyze my thoughts and "growing up" as much. Part of that is because I already have a good handle on it and process it quickly, so I don't need my journal to do so. The other part of is that I struggle for time to manage my priorities.
And my priorities are easier for me to list now, especially as an inference of what I spend my time doing. Being a mother and the grown woman of a household has constricted the luxuries of self analysis via the written word.
My life categories (what takes my time) in rough order and some notes:
Work:
- Primary insurance provider
- Studying for architecture exams
- Proving myself and learning the new job
- Establishing myself at the new workplace
- Understanding how I can serve the world through this role
The new job is a breath of fresh air. Largely the people are focussed on serving the community through a variety of means, are liberal thinkers that have a vision beyond their paycheck. It's not just how intelligent, informed and exposed that people are, but that they are willing to share in conversations and visions for the world beyond themselves.
My boss is a gem in many ways as a boss - he takes responsibility for his decisions and direction, he is extremely flexible and forgiving and he allows me the freedom to take full responsibility for my work. I feel free to learn and progress my own skills in ways I could not have even imagined.
The work itself is strategy level and requires my full capabilities for thinking, planning, people management and costing. I am learning (albeit slowly and by myself) financial accounting principles which I need to learn at the next level.
On the Architecture side of things I am lagging badly. I need to keep up with my LEED AP as well as keep studying for my exams. I am performing poorly at those and worried about it.
Parenting:
- Domestic administration - meals, cleanup, drop-off, pick-up, clothes, shoes
- Parent development - *parenting books, thinking & evolving as a parent
- Child development - classroom curriculum, toy selection,
- Time with the child - reading, playing, potty-time, sleep time, bath-time
- Excursions - Zoo time, playground, need to find more
Development as a parent is fast and furious, although *I am not spending enough time reflecting and taking stock of the progress. Thus I am not directing and designing this progress as I should be. Although there is a good balance with my parenting, I admit to needing to spend more time on the administrative overview of our progress (mine as a parent, and my daughter's as she develops), so that we can craft better planned paths.
There is a lot of time expended in the administrative overheads - cooking, cleanup, shopping for basics, diapers, clothes, shoes, reading reviews to see the best product / toy / medicing for her etc. I have been successful in reducing these efforts.
Overall child rearing has been a consumptive (ie enjoyment) effort more than a productive one. I need to re-balance to include more productive activities (my own evolution and planning).
Friends & Social time:
- Parties at home, baby showers, setup, cleanup etc.
- Helping friends with their life paths, nurturing younger friends
- Helping neighbors and checking in
- Attractions
Keeping in touch with old friends has slipped to very dangerous levels. New friends seemed to have necessitated a lot of investment and I am putting a lot more emphasis on this aspect of my life than I would like to the neglect of other areas of life, and older friends. Also seem to be drawn to certain people and have invested gobs of time on those relationships.
I need to refocus attention to longer standing relationships as well as friendships that require more perspective and productive evolution.
Some of this social time is a productive leadership of social capital for Asha. However,
this is another area of life where I am consuming a lot and producing very little; only inasmuch as those whom I help or counsel evolve themselves. Definitely need to rebalance and turn this down considerably.
Service:
- Asha work - project work, chapter direction, mentoring
- Asha work - marathon & run training, sustaining interest
- Block Unit - community event participation, block related work
- Block Unity - community organization, distributing information, ideating, vision
Another area of my life that has consumed a large portion of time. The new Asha team is energized, but needs direction. I am only playing a passive leadership role, but it is still time consuming. I need to manage this so it is a more efficient use of my time.
Block Unit work is satisfying and crosses boundaries with my work and possibly my future professional / personal direction. Although I need to explore this more, I need to be smart about it in relation to my Architecture work. Understanding how to balance this will require meditation.
Sustainability and green has totally fallen off the list and once again, I need to re-invest. This is also going to require meditation so I can understand its relative place in my life.
Health & Body:
- Saturday Running - Seems to take 4hrs every Sat, which is too much.
- Gym, Hiking, activites
- Illnesses - recoveries, adbomen pain, pink eye, fatigue
- Child illnesses - ear infections, surgery, pediatrician visits
- Mental / Emotional stability with new friendships and new work and new parenting life.
Over the last 2 years I have expended a lot of time in being sick in one way or another. It appears to have finally come to an end and the whole family is healthier. It seemed as though pregnancy, recovery and then daycare was the root cause of multiple bodily onslaughts. So many of the consumptive categories like social time are "recovery" related in mental & physical ways. Still not an excuse for their excessive emphasis.
Running takes up too much time because it is tied to the service for Asha, its social capital and sustenance. It's a struggle to focus on fitness and it helps to have rejoined the YMCA. This is singularly the most efficient use of my time currently.
As always, not enough time sleeping and re-generating.
Domestic & Administrative:
- Cleanup around the house
- Food prep & cooking
- Yard work (summer is here)
- Smart phone and technology upkeep
- Travel planning and trips
- * Personal finance
Domestic administrations have been the sand that have filled the rock-filled-mug, and it certainly seems to fill up to negate sleep. I've challenged and reduced my standards for neatness because I recognize that it must take away from other life experiences.
D regularly reminds me that food prep and cooking has long consumed a lot more of our time than it should. We have responded by eating out more.
I really need to spend more time purging time consuming material accumulations that lead to attachments and maintenance. But this is so low on the priority list that it will continue to have to be sand around the rocks.
* Really need more time on personal finances, they are suffering without a good vehicle into which I can fill, shut and forget.
Spiritual & Evolutionary:
Definitely very little time has been given to this category, so much so I don't even have bullets. I would like to re-invest in Paramartha, philosophy, reading, knowledge production and more. This category too seems to be taking a backseat to work and parenting, and I need to carve time at least for daily prayer.
Self analysis has become part of the sand around the rocks. Snatched away from sleep. Like now.
Documenting life experiences (in the form of blogs, or organizing photographs) have completely fallen off the table. I rely on friends and D to help me recall the experiences I enjoy with them and am processing the place of these experiences in my life on the fly. I wonder if I enjoy them less as a result. Overall, documenting experiences has become more consumptive (an extension of the enjoyment of the experience itself) rather than evolutionary. I am sad about not being able to share experiences more widely with friends and family. I should probably try to do better.
This, I hope, is a form of prayer. The perspective and overview which will hopefully help me re-organize and design my life the way I need it to be.