Motivation to Work

I defrosted my freezer this weekend(among other things).  I haven’t gotten to do that in 2 years.  I was SO happy!

There are SO many things that I have needed to do for the past year and half.  I was limited by my physical capabilities.  That was terribly difficult & it has changed how I look at work.  I can honestly say I like to work.

But you say . . . nobody likes to work!

That is obvious from the effort it took tonight to get my 9 year old on board with picking up sticks in the yard.  He didn’t want to do it.  I was even bribing him with a movie afterward.  Still he dilly dallied and avoided as much as possible.

On the other hand my daughter works very hard every day on a puzzle.  She has one going all the time.  Puzzles are hard and difficult so why does she willingly work on it?  Because it gives her pleasure when it is done.

Pleasure in the process

I have found that if I can find an enjoyable part of a task then I am much more likely to go willingly to do a job. 

An example—mowing the grass.  I really don’t like sweating and getting bug bites but some times the grass has to be mowed(if I can’t get Elizabeth on the task).  On the other hand I know that it is one job that will stay done(unlike laundry) for at least a few days & I get a bit of a thrill driving up to my nicely mowed lawn each day!

Pride in the finished product

Neatly stacked laundry. A clean kitchen counter. School papers any papers filed where I can located them. Those all bring me pleasure.  So focusing on that helps my motivation.

Change in Perspective

At times the amount of work it takes to keep a neat & clean house seems overwhelming.  I can walk in to a room and I see a million things that need doing.  On some days I would have to make lists or avoid that room. 

In the past year I haven’t been able to do the things I needed much less wanted to do.  I never knew that limitations like that were so hard.  I used to dread the work that awaited me every day.

My perspective has changed.  I have found that work can be a source of satisfaction.  It doesn’t mean I don’t get tired.  It doesn’t mean I don’t resent the continual mountain of laundry or dishes.  But it does mean that I am much less likely to complain about having to do them. 

Confetti Fish

My main goal these day is to not turn on the oven.  The directions are for the oven but last week I went out on a limb and did this recipe on our grill.  It worked out just fine!

Confetti Fish Fillets

vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil or butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup diced red pepper(I use MORE!)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 1/2 lbs tilapia or any firm white fish fillets

1 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 9 x 13 pan with vegetable oil spray.   Heat oil in skillet.  Saute onion & bell pepper for 2-3 minutes.  Turn off heat and add crumbs and lemon zest.  Stir thoroughly.

Arrange fish in pan.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt.  Spread vegetable mixture evenly over fish.

Bake about 10 minutes per inch of fish or until fish flakes easily at the thickest point.

Grill option:  Line a grill basket with aluminum foil and arrange fish in the basket.   Grill on a medium heat for 15-20 minutes.  (or until the crumbs start to get black—LOL)

Staying Home

This past week has been unusual. The kids have all been sick.

One at a time for about 4 days each. Sigh.

So when you stack that up with a little overlap you get 7 days of staying home.  With unhappy crabby little people who are bored to tears.

 

Now I like being at home but after a few days I start to go a little stir crazy. Okay A LOT stir crazy. I do have a great friends who came to visit me Friday night for a little adult conversation & scrapbooking.

Instead of griping about the lack of social interaction, we’ve tried to use the the time in good ways.

1. Bible challenge—Steve has given our family a challenge. If you read a book(pleasure) then read a book of the Bible. It really has made us think about how we use our free time.

2. Cleaning—floors are mopped, tubs are scrubbed, kitchen is cleaned, etc

3. Mowing—It takes about 2 hours to mow our lawn. It is done for the week. Yeah because it is looking pretty busy!

4. Movies, Games, Coloring, Napping—okay that is what the kids have been doing.

5. Planning—school, meals, projects, house organization.

My errands haven’t gotten done but my babies are getting better. We haven’t gotten to do our normal activities but we’ve played games & nursed the sick ones.

So I know I have saved money on gas this last week. 

Of course swim lessons start tomorrow so that means I will be in town everyday for 9 days. Hmmm I think I will be spending what I saved. Oh well—at least we will see some new faces.

Backyard chat

Screen Time Limits

There is a standing rule in the Brush household that you only get so much screen time per day. 

On odd days the kids get 1 hour of computer time AFTER certain chores are done. 

TV?  We don’t watch it. 

Movies—some times after school is done or in the evening with Daddy.  We just think that there are SO MANY other good things to do besides sit like a lump on a log in front of a TV or computer.

However there are times for breaking the rules. 

My little man has been running a fever for 3 days now.  He’s not eating.  This is my guy who is a bottomless pit.  He watches the clock like a hawk so he doesn’t miss a snack time.  On one hand I am not terribly concerned,  it is a virus that will run its course.  On the other hand, he’s bored to death & feels pretty rotten.

So yes I have been extending the screen time limit.  He’s watched more movies in the past 3 days than normal.  But hey I will do a lot of things to keep a sick child happy.  In defense of my mommy/nurse skills, we have been playing lots of Yahtzee.  He just learned how & loves it.

Now I am seriously hoping that tomorrow he’s better and we can get back to normal, but I am thankful that there is something that makes these yucky hours pass quickly.  We would rather be swimming, riding bikes, making gluep or a dozen other things than staying home sitting around.  But this is how we roll when one is sick here.