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?

Inadequacy and Simplifying

I posted about my organization challenge for November.  I didn't have grand hopes or aspirations of greatness.  I just wanted to organize the corner of the basement.  Putting all of that stuff into plastic tubs and throwing out the cardboard and throwing other stuff away felt good.  Stacking up those boxes made me feel like I had something together.  The organization challenge for December is Simplify.  Perfect for this month, right?  Perfect for believing that we are enough and we don't need to bake all the treats and go to all the parties and buy all the presents.  For believing that not going overboard is okay.

Last week, we went to a Christmas party.  It was Friday night.  I'd just put in 40 hours of Sit. No. Yes. Hurry up. What are you doing? You need a pencil. Get out your [insert any random word here].  I was exhausted and practically coughing up a lung because of this never-ending half-cold I seem to have.  Scott had made a dip because, at 10pm on Thursday he said we should probably take something to this party.  We still had to stop at the store for chips though.  And the auto part store so he could get wires to fix my car.  We didn't know where the house of the party was necessarily and I had never met any of the people who would be there.  A recipe for disaster, right?

Anyway, seeing how "together" some people have it can sometimes bring you down, you know?  Pinterest inspired gallery walls, brand new everything, things unpacked and in their perfect place (even if you just moved in a month ago), more than one perfectly decorated Christmas tree, etc.

So I needed to remind myself of the Simplify resolutions I'd already decided on for December.  

1.  I don't need to bake all the cookies.  In years past, I've gone overboard.  This year, we're not going anywhere for Christmas and we don't have any guests either so there's no need for me to spend two whole days baking.

2.  I don't need to buy presents for every person I've met in the last year.  Oh, I thought about it.  And it's not really a cost issue.  It's a take-the-time-to-pick-out-something-meaningful-wrap-it-carefully-and-mail-it issue.  I truly don't have time.  And I know that sounds awful.  I did send Christmas cards though.  And I got the boxes mailed out to our families.

3.  Do not Pinterest a gift for everyone I know here in Colorado.  I did this one year in Alaska and dang, it was stressful.  Actually, I did it two years in a row.  I made hot fudge and chocolate covered pretzels one year and cake pops for everyone the next year.  "Everyone" is coworkers.  However, my building is small enough now that if I made stuff for one person, I better make it for the whole hallway (like 8 people), plus office staff and…inevitably I will forget someone and feel terrible.  Best not to worry about it.  I also didn't print enough cards from Shutterfly (because expensive) for every acquaintance I have, so I can't hand those out.  However, do people really want a picture of me (who they see everyday), my husband (who they've never met), and my two dogs?  Eh.  Probably not.

4.  Don't go overboard buying presents.  You know how easy it is.  You see all the holiday displays and stuff just falls into the cart.  I'm 100% guilty of this.  Tis the season, right?  I finished my Christmas shopping 2 weeks ago.  Scott's gifts (little things he'd never buy himself) are under the tree.  The dogs each get a toy.  In years past, I've bought myself gifts but this year all I picked up were new pajamas, slippers, and a travel mug.  There's no need for me to wrap and unwrap presents to Kristin, from Kristin.  I think I'm outgrowing that.

Is there any way you're trying to simplify December for yourself and your family?  More ideas are welcome!