Getting It Together (and how everyone going back to school inspired me to get more organized)

There is  (a very nerdy) part of me that used to love the start of the school year because it meant I could go shopping for school supplies. Planners and calendars, binders and folders in all sorts of colors and patterns that would help me stay organized and on top of everything. I also loved being a student. If I could I would stay in school forever. I don't know if it was nostalgia that had me caught up in the whole I miss being in school thing or if it was just the fact that I couldn't live with the chaos that has filled my days for the last month. I desperately felt the need to get organized. I am guessing it is because I haven't yet felt like I have it together since moving home and I am constantly running to catch up (ok not guessing -- I know this is the feeling plaguing me.) And I hate that constantly behind on everything feeling. So I did what I do best - I made some lists.

I love lists. I love crossing things off of lists. I love using different colored pens or highlighters to organize my lists. And then my lists started to majorly stress me out.

They were long. I wasn't crossing off quite as many things as I felt I should be. Things were just carrying over to the next day. It just made me feel like I couldn't get anything done. I was interrupted by toddler pedicure time -- all over my living room. Or potty training problems (yes this is still an issue here. Ugh)

After a call from my friend Katy (check out her blog here) I realized I needed more than lists. I needed to stop just trying to get things done and plan the time I was going to get things done. I needed to stop seeing how the day goes by taking that day and making it mine. I am a grown up (even though I don't feel like it) and I am the person who shapes my day. This whole day shaping me thing is not working. So why not change it. I am the boss of me. I can make these authoritative decisions (right?)

With this (tentative) realization I came to the heartbreaking realization that I may have to break up with my planner. I love my planner. I order it every year from PaperSource and it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. It is small enough to tuck in the diaper bag (or purse someday-- am I ever going to get to carry a purse again?) The colors are pretty and muted. The font is clean and well choosen. There is plenty of space for my large, obnoxious (and often illegible) handwriting. It is also spiral bound so I can leave it open to the week we are on so I don't have to flip through pages when I need to check something (and yes this may make me a bit lazy.)

I spent some (ok too much) time searching various places online looking for my perfect replacement planner. It just didn't happen. It took me years to find the one I love now. So I had to come up with another plan. And it hit me that I should just make one. I mean I did go to school for graphic design (among other things much to my husband's dismay) and that all that education just kind of sits there dusty in my brain (until my friends or family get married and then I get to stretch out those design muscles and make some pretty rockin' invitations.) So it's not a wedding but I could do it.

And I loved it. Adobe Illustrator and I get along pretty well and it showed. I have a nice section to plan my day by the hour. Plus I could print out a new schedule for every day, since my days are all very different in terms of where I need to be and what I need to get done. I also added a section to track my meals, my water and other things I need to get better at (like writing here) make it work for me. And this was a major relief.

I am happy writing in what I need to do each day and planning when I can get it done. And when I have a plan like that I am much more likely to follow. Having to stop something I am in the middle of because it is time to move onto something like cleaning my house is going to be a challenge but overall I really think I am going to get more done. And that should make everyone happy.

As I was dancing in my chair, pleased as punch with myself, I also started thinking about how this would be a great tool for those just learning to embrace clean eating. One of the biggest challenges for me was making myself eat smaller meals five to six times a day. Especially when I was busy, running around, chasing a toddler, and organizing 22 high school girls into cheer lines and keeping track of their schedules, plus a million other things that will inevitably crop up -- like baking cookies for the cheer cafe when I get a last minute call they don't have enough stuff and I can't say no (another problem of mine that I am hoping this detailed day planning will help address) or permanent marker on the walls or a runaway dog we have to spend two hours looking for only to come home and find him on my porch with the whole Where have you guys been? I am so thirsty and I have been waiting here for you because I love you. And you are my master and I love you look on his face. 

So why not whip up one for my challenge groups? So not only do you get meal planning (and a weekly meal planner) but a daily organizer as well. I am pretty excited about this and helping other people possibly find the (maybe borderline OCD) level of organization that makes me feel sane and in control. Check out the document below and let me know what you think.

I am kind of really excited about this. And excited to announce my September Challenge groups.

On September 3 I am going to start a 90 day TurboFire challenge group. I am absolutely in love with this workout and with Chalene Johnson. It comes with a 90 day schedule and what's even better is 90 days means it will be ending the Monday before Thanksgiving. What a better way to show up for the holidays than in awesome shape? (And for me it means being excited to be in all the pictures this year!) And to sweeten the deal TurboFire is on sale until the end of August. It is pretty great deal.

For more information on TurboFire check out this post.

I am also going to run a 30 day clean eating and Shakeology group that focuses on clean eating including - recipes, meal planning and how to get it all done.


 For information on either of these groups or to enroll send me a message on Facebook or email me at saractodd@gmail.com