Well, here we are folks.
The very first check in/debrief that is our journey through Tsh’s One Bite at a Time ebook..
If you missed it, or forgot and are completely confused about what this is all about, read here.
Here’s looking at you kid.
Project 1: Eat Your Frog.
Basically, do the thing you hate doing most FIRST so that it’s off your plate and you don’t have to think about it anymore.
I had to think a bit about what my “frog” was.
I mean, there’s plenty of tasks I don’t really prefer to spend my time doing…
…and then I realized what it was…and it’s super random and maybe even a little surprising:
Getting dressed and ready for the day.
I know, I told you I’m weird.
Here’s the thing: between showering, and hairing, and even a simple mascaraing, and finding clothesing…that’s a good 45 minutes of my day.
And there’s house to clean and dinner to prep and pinning to do. (who am I kidding?!)
45 minutes of getting all did up just to go sit in the front yard while my kids ride bikes…or on a real fancy day to run to Target…is just a lot.
Don’t get me wrong: I do get dressed every day. Jama-Lama Days (that’s what we call pajamas) only happen once in a blue moon.
But I dread it everytime. And it usually happens around 10ish…which, considering I get up at 5:30…that’s really late.
This week’s project got me thinking though: why do I dread getting dressed and ready so much? That’s weird. Why am I being weird?
So here you go ladies…you’ll totally understand my brain in five, four, three…
I don’t have a whole lot of cute everyday clothes.
I used to work in an office and wear pencil skirts and pointy toed heels. Clearly no longer appropriate for my Mommy Job.
A year or so ago I went out and bought a handful of more casual stuffs…comfy cotton dresses and leggings with flats, stuff like that.
And then I gained weight.
And the comfy cotton dresses aren’t nearly as comfy.
And I’m doing that thing where you don’t want to buy bigger clothes because surely someday soon you’re gonna wake up and it’s all going to have magically melted off in the middle of the night.
Right?
You know this? I know you get this.
So, after 45 minutes of getting did up…I’m either uncomfortably packed into a dress that looks more like a shirt…or I’m in yoga pants and a tank…which is barely one step above the Jama Lamas I just changed out of.
Ergo, a waste of my time.
Boo.
So.
This week’s challenge had me at Old Navy buying a few cute new tops…in the right size.
And, getting dressed and ready for the day a little earlier.
I still want to push it back more…and I’d really love to be completely dressed and have a swipe of mascara on before the kids wake up (because then I can get ready in peace without wondering why I hear water splashing in the downstairs bathroom)…but I’m not there yet.
So there you have it: Jeannett’s frog will be dressed and presentable at an earlier time. And that frog won’t feel quite so sausaged into clothes. Because maybe, just maybe, her next frog will come in the guise of exercise.
One thing at a time. Let’s not get crazy.
I wanna know: what’s YOUR frog?
{If you want to jump in and join us on working through Tsh’s new ebook One Bite at a Time, buy the book here. Come on, it’s fun and actually helpful!!!}
If you are playing along, tell me how it went this week and then read chapter 2, start implementing it, and we’ll check in again next Wednesday!
**The winner of the Orbitz Labels is Kelly!!!**
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This week was hard for me. First off I couldn’t figure out what frog to eat. Partly because with a 1 year old and two girls to get ready for school, there are just some things I can’t do first thing in the morning. I finally decided on working on getting up earlier in the morning because I hate to feel rushed. I know that doesn’t really fit into the eating the frog concept, but it was the best I could do. My goal was to get up at 6:45. (Which must sound silly to you since you are up at 5:30. I really don’t know how you do it!) Anyway, I totally failed this week. I didn’t make it up by 6:45 one day. The only tiny bit of redemption is that I did get up early enough this morning that my family could have family prayer before my husband left for work. I am determined to do better this week!
I don’t think you have to master the project for the week…I certainly didn’t…but at least start working it into your life and thinking about it! And for the record, I think that getting up early is definately a frog if it’s something you dread and have a hard time with!
Thanks for the encouragement Jeannett! I am really excited about the book – with just the little I have read I can already tell it is going to be very helpful.
I’m not sure what my frog is either–probably exercising. If I’m going to do it then it has to be in the morning before the kids are up. I have to get the oldest up at 6:30 so I’m struggling to get up earlier.
I totally get the clothes thing. I too worked in an office and two years after becoming a SAHM, I still have a closet full of office clothes.I’m slowly getting rid of them but I have a weird thing about what if I need them someday. My daily uniform is jeans and whatever t-shirt I can find. I hate shopping with a passion and find it hard to buy for myself since I’m home all day and the only people who see me are the school bus drivers and my kids. However, the freebie t-shirts are starting to get really old.
I TOTALLY 100% get you.
I still have my suits and button up shirts…as if somehow I’ll need them again. Which is mostly insane since the plan isn’t for me to go back to work anytime soon. Maybe start by buying a few cute shirts? That way, you’re still in the jeans, but if your top is fun, you’ll feel a little less blah? At least that’s what I’m trying for…
Well this little post and your comments make me want to jump in! I’m off to buy the book. My frog…is many things. I’ll have to think more about it.
And, ladies….sell those office clothes at consignment while they are still relatively in style so you can purchase some fun more appropriate clothing with the money. It really feels like a treat. Chances are if or when you return to work, you will be a different size or the style will completely be out-dated! I’ve held on to a few things for too long never to wear them again and lost out on replacing them with cuter/newer/more appropriate!
Good grief, woman! ANOTHER post of yours that I could’ve written myself. I hate hate hate getting ready. And I feel like (even though it’s been 5 1/2 years) I still haven’t found my ‘mommy style’ after I quite working. And yeah, the extra weight doesn’t help. And now I have being 8 months pregnant and huge and uncomfortable to use as an excuse too.
I’ve been doing Kat’s Maximize Your Mornings challenge so I’ve been getting up earlier and eating breakfast and reading my Bible first. Maybe I should make myself get showered and dressed and ready before I do that….
Frist of all, I totally get the clothes thing. I have more pajama days than I care to admit.
My frog….hm, I have several. And sitting here thinking about it, make me feel awfully lazy. I hate folding clothes, but not just any clothes, kid clothes. I don’t mind so much folding mine or my husband’s, but I hate folding my boy’s clothes. Yeah, I’m a great mom. I have a laundry basket full of their clothes that has just been sitting in my living room for a few weeks now. It’s a bit on a crazy cycle right now. I pick the clothes I need out of it, then once the clothes get slim picking, I wash what’s dirty, then add them to the basket, and it starts all over again. I swear my boy’s have a closet and a dresser. I just need to use them.
Oh and PS, I hate washing dishes.
There are so many things that are “frogs” for me, but the first one to come to mind was the dishes. I hate doing the dishes. Really really dislike!! So as the waffles were in the toaster every morning I transferred dishes from the sink to the dishwasher. It was nice to have an empty sink! I also tried to look at this as not putting something off. So I really tried throughout the day (not just first thing) to do something I might otherwise walk by and think, “I’ll get to that later”. It helped me keep a proactive attitude all day long!
Oh I can totally relate to dreading getting “ready” for the day…the worst part for me is drying and straightening my hair! UGH! Often times, I just end up with a half-dry frizzy ponytail!
I wrote a post about my Project 1 – Eat Your Frog. You can read it here: http://sweetbriarbloom.blogspot.com/2011/09/sweetbriar-handiwork-eat-frog-curtain_21.html
So thankful this book made me think about the whole “eating your frog” thing. I paid attention to how my mornings went and even asked my husband what he thought I avoided…and it is picking up my clutter! how embarrassing! So after I read my Bible/drink coffee but BEFORE i check my email (or pin…) i clean off my clutter spots (dining table, kitchen table and countertops, etc).
Feel much better about getting my day started, yay for this book and discussing it!!!!
Clutter is my nemesis too! Our kitchen island is a magnet for it!
Oh my goodness, not only do I have a frog, I have a whole album worth: http://thelinarstudio.typepad.com/photos/my_frogs/index.html The good news, I am eating frogs on a regular basis :)
I hate my frog so much that I skipped it and went to #39
http://www.thepickledpoppy.com/2011/09/one-bite-time-week-1.html
Maybe next week:)
I thought I was the only one in the world that hates getting ready every day!! It is such a waste of time and I wish I could use it to do other things (ahem… watch tv, sleep in a bit, you know, all the important stuff!) It just seems so tedious and repetitive and I don’t like it either!
My frog is exactly what your frog is, to a T!! I feel so lazy!!! I am going to do better. I will I will I will. I went to Goodwill today & spent $30 on some surprisingly stylish tops. Maybe it will get better. My frog’s friend that I should also eat is going to bed at a decent hour. That might help me have the motivation to eat my frog earlier in the day…Can i just tell you that reading this has totally helped me. I just love you & your way with words/transparency. You are wonderful. I hope you know that!
Hi, I was reading Tsh’s blog this morning and linked over here. Bought the ebook a while back and still haven’t figured out what my frog is. Although I woke up this morning and knew I shouldn’t pour a cup of coffee and get on the computer, I did it anyway. Glad I did though, because I’ve had a great time reading some of your posts and getting to know you a little. Thought I was the only one that hated getting dressed! Thanks for sharing, reminds me I’m not alone. Good luck with your frog today, I’m going to keep reading for now.
My frog is definitely exercise. Realistically, even with getting kids/husband out the door in the morning and my own work schedule–I could be doing this 4 out of 5 weekdays. I’m just not. And I need to do it!
I’m working through Tsh’s book too. So far the most helpful project has been creating my morning routine. I love it so much that if I miss it I feel the effects all day! I’m subscribing to your feed now so I can join you :-)
I completely understand the “nothing fits right, nothing looks right” mentality of not wanting to get dressed in the morning! Although for me with 4 kids ages 1, 2, 4, and 5 my problem is bigger than just getting myself ready. I have a hard time getting us all ready. I have a hard time keeping up on laundry. I recently purged all of our laundry down to the bare minimum in an attempt to have LESS laundry piling up but not that requires me to wash less but more often. I am so bad that at least once a week we don’t even make it ouside because mommy doesn’t want to take the time to get us all dressed and ready, especially with the days getting colder which requires bundling up little ones. “Eating my Frog” of having laundry done and easily accessible (ie: folded and put away) sounds like a great place for me to start. Admittedly it may take me more than a week to accomplish this (you know, it’s pretty busy and harried around her with so many littles) but I will work on it, one bite at a time.
Btw, I linked over from Simple Homeschooling. So glad I found your blog!
I struggle so much with this. My frog is getting showered, dressed and knocking out the fast chores of the day. I’m best in the morning though and need to write, write code, etc. when I’m sharpest. So I go round and round wondering how to balance the frog with the (admittedly fun) work that I have to do.
It some ways it was easier when I worked a corporate job as I had to be there at a certain dressed and presentable. Writing all this is helping me see that my frog is to not only do what must be done (basic hygiene!) but to get it done in a timely manner so the important work gets done when I’m the sharpest.
Thanks for a great post!
Getting dressed has been a frog for me too. Not because I don’t have clothes that fit, but because I’m constantly on the go helping the kiddos, homeschooling, etc. I’ve made this goal in the past and then slide out of the habit. Thanks for the reminder.
BTW–you might want to check out Fit Yummy Mummy if you dread exercise. 15 minute mommy-friendly workouts and they really work! I lost 20 inches and 10 lbs in 2 months when I first started. I said goodbye to my mommy belly, which I thought was a permanent feature of my body. Can’t praise the program enough!!
Unbelievable! I just read this today but about 3 weeks ago I recognized this in myself.. I’m a nurse so i have tons of scrubs but not alot of regular scrubs. I’ve ordered myself a bunch of things and took advantage of sales. All that is left now is some comfortable fall/winter shoes. I think I just want some UGGS because I don’t like to wear shoes in the house normally but I like to slip out quick so slip ons will be easiest for me. Once I’m showered, dressed, hair done, I do feel like I am ready to handle the day!
I am so weird too!! I’ve always blamed it on being a teen in the 90’s…while the 80’s were all about big hair, the 90’s were about going to school in pj pants and hoodies, with your hair up in a messy bun (well, at least at my high school). I just have never done the whole get ready thing, although when I do, it really does make a huge difference in my day and I’m less likely to curl up on the couch with the laptop on my lap. I am also in that stage of oh, i’ll be losing weight soon, so no buying new clothes routine for awhile now…. I find this very inspiring and reassuring that it is OKAY! to spend money on myself even though I typically sit at home and seen by no one. I’m going to love following this, glad to have found you!
My platter is a frog-combo. If I get up a bit earlier, I could exercise and then fit into the clothes that I want to put on, thereby getting me out of the jammies before 10 am. (I, too, have a closet of “previous career” clothes). Now, I know that I can only pick one frog to eat, so exercise it is! I managed it twice the week I began. However, if do it in the morning, it’s, well, done, so on I go…
I don’t think I had a clue what my frog was. That is until I read your post! I, too, used to work outside the home and have cute clothes to wear. But, now most of my “former me” clothes don’t fit, and wouldn’t really be appropriate for my new job requirements ;) I just finished reading Fly Lady’s book “Sink Reflections” and she talks about how important it is to get dressed each morning. I am working on it. I think picking out my clothes the night before would help. Because my husband and toddler are still asleep when I get up and I don’t want to make a lot of noise or be turning on lights when my husband is trying to sleep.
I am joining a bit late but will be doing this along with you…..I too hate getting all “dolled up” for “nothing.” Is it really nothing? It makes me feel better to not be embarrassed at my appearance when I run into someone…..and better in general about myself. It makes my husband’s day when he sees me all gussied up when he gets home.
Since this is an ongoing request of my hubs and I really want to do it, but never seem to, I will choose this as my frog as well. I will get ready first in the am ….. even on the days I workout…..this may be interesting ;)
Rachel
So … I continue to be the “late bloomer” as my mom always called me, but I’m learning to allow myself some grace and just do it instead of feeling so guilty I never start :-).
Frog = morning meditation. I know I need that 15-30 minute morning alignment. I know my days flow smoother, more successfully when I have TAKEN TIME FOR ME and re-affirmed what will be important that day … I have blogs and blogs about feeling un-centered and un-focused and un-prepared and how that 15 minutes of internal reset in the morning is all I need to do. But, I trick myself into thinking that spending 30 more minutes in bed “meditating” with my eyes closed is just as good – LOL. I’m very good at excuses.
Commitment = This is the week I get up 15 minutes earlier and contemplate my universal navel … we will work our way up to 30 minutes :-)