With all the good weather we’ve been seeing, I couldn’t have picked a better time to use up a week of vacation before I lost it. I had an incredibly fun week of cleaning up a few areas I’d been meaning to get to, as well as putting the zucchini garden in, working on my novel, and most importantly, spending time with the kids and wife.
Normally I would have just “winged it” when it came to time management. But I also would have normally finished up the week with regrets and self-loathing. Forgetting all the things that I successfully accomplished, and instead, focused on the projects I either hadn’t started, didn’t make enough progress on etc. etc.
This time was different. As the day got close, Ariel and I discussed how best to maximize each day. So it was decided that we would drink coffee together in the mornings, eat some breakfast, and then while it was still cool, head out to get some farm work done. Then, at noon, eat lunch, and then head out with my laptop to somewhere peaceful and work on my novel. After the battery started to protest, I would be done for the day. This usually took about 45 mins to an hour and a half, depending. Then it was back to the projects!
This was a very good plan I think. Best home vacation I have ever had, and I think it can all be contributed to proper planning. I made myself a promise that whatever I got accomplished, no matter how much wheel-spinning it may have seemed like I had done, I was going to be satisfied. And I was! Every night I looked back on my busy day and felt good about what was done. This is usually not how I feel after a long day of work. Usually I feel like “oh if only I could have gotten the other side bush-hogged as well”, or “I wasted way too much time trying to fix the welder, I should have just moved on to something else, now the day is gone”. You know what I mean I think. But this was a great vacation! I am going to have to remember this for the next one!
See ya around!
-Jake
Old Blue Farm 