April 10, 2012

Getting Priorities Sorted

Over the last week I have spent a great deal of time thinking about what it is that matters.  Sometimes I find it actually ends up being more of a case of what matters most.  Which unfortunately is sometimes easier said than done.

Here's what I mean.

Having a clean and tidy kitchen area matters.  When the kitchen is clean and tidy and I more likely to prepare yummy and nutritious food for those that I love.

Having fun and enjoying time with my beautiful little family matters.  Creating memories that we can all look back at fondly, matters.  We only get one chance at this thing called life and I really want to make sure I make the most of it, and encourage my girls to do the same.

Of course sometimes, actually more times than not, the kitchen cleaning thing doesn't seem to matter as much as the making memories thing.  Only it needs to.

There is something particularly nice about coming downstairs at stupid o'clock in the morning and being able to make coffee while still half asleep without battling through the leaning towers of dishes.  Not to mention the advantages of not having to wash cups before using them.  Orderly kitchens matter.

The worst part of all of this is that the kitchen part could be easily exchanged for washing.  Staying on top of the washing matters.  Staying on top of the washing means that you only have to do a little bit each and every day.  Rather than dedicate the first day of the school holidays to washing school uniforms and fifty thousand pairs of knickers.  Seriously I can do a whole load some days of nothing but odd socks and knickers.

Mind you there are a thousand other little jobs around here that I regularly need to make matter and often don't.  All under the guise of spending time with the family.  For the most part that is true but then there are times like now.  When I am trying my very best to make writing matter more than anything else.  There are mountains of dishes waiting patiently for my attention.

It all come's down to priorities 
Not always something I have done well with, but certainly something that needs to matter.  It can be hard at times working out what needs to matter the most.   As I am currently discovering.

Only when I stop and think about some of the things Eden must have seen lately I wonder what really matters after all?

What's that? You haven't heard of Eden and her World Vision Journey to Niger?  Now that is stuff that really matters.

Eden is doing something that will make a difference.  In fact it has already made a difference.  People have sponsored a child because of Eden.  How. Awesome. Is. That?  World Vision will be able to use that money to truly make a difference to somebodies life.

I sit here moaning about my dirty dishes and having to clean the kitchen or wash some clean clothes and there are people over there that barely have enough water to drink.  What needs to matter now?
Sponsor a child

Joining in with all the lovely #IBOT posts over at Diary of a SAHM

21 comments:

  1. A little perspective can be a scary & confronting thing can't it? (I totally suck at prioritising)

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    1. Yep sure can. Glad to know I am not the only terrible prioritisor

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  2. Thanks, what a great post. You have given me a bit to think about and that's a good thing. Have a great day. Rachel x

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    1. My pleasure Rachel, glad to know I left an impact x

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  3. Great post. We do things, activities, tasks etc... everyday of our lives - what we do has a massive impact on who we are. I marvel at the fact we do pretty much everything with a purpose (whether it be positive or negative, fun or not), but it's the meaning behind what we do that really makes it matter. Meaning seems to shape us and our values and vice versa. Whoa, deep for 9am! Now... off to do my dishes :)

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    1. Wanna come do mine as well?

      Whao super deep, I love it. It really is all about the meaning.

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  4. So much of it matters - big and small. I do think prioritizing is important as is perspective. we can have our big picture view of what matters but still find the day to day that matters too in that it helps keep us ticking along and moving forward to enjoy those bigger picture things - they go hand in hand i guess! (had to laugh at the "leaning towers of dishes" though )

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    1. Yep I particularly liked that as well. If only it weren't so true....sigh

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  5. Clean kitchen definitely comes very low on my list of priorities... having said that, I don't know what I'd do without my dishwasher.

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    1. Hubs is always pushing for a dishwasher ... I thought that's what kids were for... Apparently you need to wait till they reach a certain age, one that none of mine have apparently reached yet

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  6. Ah priorities ... the eternal work/life balancing act! I am actually having a sabbatical from Facebook at the moment and suddenly find there are a lot more hours in the day ... interesting that!

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    1. Isn't it just? I have taken to computer free days which has given me a whole heap more time. Though I think the phone needs to be included in the banning a little more

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  7. It's such a hard one. There are a hundred things a day that need our attention, and we can't do everything. I guess the way I look at it is to always keep in mind the big picture. This means that everything can be balanced, housework, family's time, writing time, and making ways to help the less fortunate as well.

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    1. Bless you lovely with all that you have to do and you still think of others

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  8. I suck at priorities too. But hands down my kids always win. They go to bed eventually and if it means I'm up til midnight getting chores done in readiness for the next day. Eden's journey has certainly been an eye opener for all of us xx

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  9. I suck at chores and cleaning. The rest of life gets the go ahead before any of that gets done.
    Eden's experience and the horror of the famines in Africa have definitely made me more aware of the greed and unimportance of so much over here.

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  10. Yes, agree with Deb. Eden's journey has certainly been an eye opener to us, and made us reflect on what is really important... but our kids still need to spend time with us, and our kitchens still need to be cleaned. Just maybe with the perspective that there are some things that matter more than a clean kitchen!

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  11. Fabulous post! Priorities.. i have a long list..

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  12. Thanks! Is you list like mine and seemingly never ending?

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  13. Oh I get this. I really get this. There are so many things that get in the way of other things. Today my girls BEGGED me to play with them and I just didn't have the time. I decided that making biscuits was to be a priority and that letting them 'help' to do the dishes was a great idea. I like to be quick and efficient and to get things done spit spot. But, that hour I spent in the kitchen with my girls laughing and rolling biscuits and putting plastic cups away was one of my favourites. It turns out that just doing what mummy is doing is fun enough for my girls! Who would have thought?

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  14. It's hard to find the balance with priorities, but I guess the key is to working out what means the most to us - and what makes us happy. Priorities shift with different seasons of life too. I think having some sense of order with regard to the housework helps to function well in other areas too.

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