May 4, 2016

Adjusting for Betterment and Convenience in May

Four full months into the year, I might as well revisit some of the resolutions I made that are simply geared toward making life easier.



Sometimes it's just about making life more doable for yourself. Convenience is going to breed productivity after all.

While not much has changed from the original list, here's a few things that have been making life easier...

I deleted the Facebook and messenger apps from my phone. I couldn't deal with the notifications anymore. And looking at Facebook generally makes me feel terrible about myself. Deactivating FB in general usually makes me feel good, but I do a lot of my Rodan+Fields contact on there so I'll keep it up. But there's no need for it to also be on my phone.

I've really given myself over to online ordering. We live 30-40 minutes from stores, depending on what you're looking for, and the only store that's not completely out of my way is Safeway. Unless it's just a few groceries, I really don't have time to shop and browse during the week. Therefore, if I want something, I order it online. And the selection of items online is SO much better than what you see in the stores anyway. I can wait a few days, normally. Currently, I'm awaiting hair highlights and a phone case.

I always get gas on my way TO work. Because the last thing I want to do at 4pm is stop for gas. It makes a HUGE difference. Try it.

Don't throw away Mondays.  I hate Mondays. And Tuesdays. They are awful, awful days.
But I used to treat them that way in what I wore, what I did after work, what I ate for dinner, etc.
These days, I try to make the most of it. I wear something I like. I eat something I like for dinner. I stop at Starbucks if I feel the need to. That's something I used to save for Thursday or Friday. Many people go easy on themselves on Monday nights, but for the past month and a half I've had a class on Tuesday nights, so I tried my hardest to do something (anything!) on Monday nights. Last week, for example, I cleaned the basement floor because it was a task I'd put off over the weekend.
This task-on-Monday, class-on-Tuesday schedule led to a lot of burnout and hatred and bitterness on my part, but my to-do list was kept in check and the rest of the week was much easier.

April was rough.

And something I've not been successful at...

A task I've tried to adjust for convenience and have not been successful at doing: making a trip to the far-away pharmacy every 4-6 weeks. My doctor is actually at the Air Force Academy, and a medication I take every day needs to be picked up at the pharmacy there. I've tried to have it sent to Ft. Carson (much closer!) before and they've messed it up, causing further inconvenience.  THAT was worse than driving farther. Plus, the AFA pharmacy is so nice...walk in, walk out. It takes less than 5 minutes. The Ft. Carson one is like standing-room only and would probably require an hour of my time just to wait. It all evens out I guess. So I've just gotten used to arranging prescription pick-up on days I have off or, even worse, taking a half day to take care of it. I hate it but it's necessary, I suppose. Oh, and they're not open weekends or after 5:00. That's how the military works.
I don't know that I'll ever find a solution to this.

Is there anything you're currently doing just to make life easier?

11 comments:

  1. This one hit close to home for me. Bookmarking to make some adjustments myself.

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  2. Your pharmacy situation kills me.

    I am all about convenience - I did not have it together to order my groceries this weekend and I ended up at the store three times since Friday. My brain works better when it's geared towards ease. LOL

    I have zumba on Monday nights now and I thought I'd hate it but I don't. It feels good to do that on a Monday.

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  3. I deleted Facebook from my mobile devices. I hate it and if I can keep it out of my life for as many hours of the day as possible, I'm much happier.

    One thing I've been doing to help the laundry situation (I hate laundry) is to put a load in the washer right before I go to bed. Our laundry room is upstairs so it's easy. Then I set the timer so it washes during the last hour I'm asleep. I put the clothes in the dryer before I go downstairs for the day so everything can dry while I'm getting the child off to school. By the time that's done, so is the laundry. I fold and put it away later in the day. And I've committed to do one load a day. It seems to be working and it makes laundry less terrible. And it backs up less.

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  4. It sounds like you're definitely having success with these goals! :) I think it's definitely worse saying that some things (like your pharmacy situation) are just probably out of your control. Seems like you're dealing with it in the best ways that you can!

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  5. Can you do the mail order for your prescription? That's what I do for all of my medication I take now. I have Tricare Standard, so maybe that's why I can???

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  6. I deleted the facebook app but still get on using the web browser so what should make my life easier now requires me to enter my phone number and password for every login. I really should let it go. I've been cleaning up more in the house on Monday nights, but then that makes me loaf around because I "earned it" on Tuesdays. I need something like your class to motivate me and not let that happen!

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  7. Once I am fully moved in, I'll make my life easier but unless I get a maid, it'll be jam packed for awhile.

    I'd love to delete facebook...but its hard!

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  8. I laughed out loud at the gas on the way TO work suggestion. I'm so guilty of the "I'll fill up next time" thought process. Too many times I've rushed to the car late for whatever is included in that "next time" and scolded myself for doing that again. I'll think of you next time the gas light comes on and just get it over with!! Miss you!

    http://abitofwitt.blogspot.com/

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  9. I agree that not having the FB app on your phone is amazing! It helps so much!

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  10. That's a great way to look at Mondays. Make it more of a Friday-type-of-day in treating yourself. I really like that!

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  11. Being in Korea really made me good at online shopping. When we went back to the States for a visit, I thought I'd be excited to be in stores again, but I got overwhelmed over looking for things, and also a bit peeved that prices weren't what I was used to online and selection sucked. I'll be online shopping when we're back in the US again too!

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