Ann Ferro: Scheduling time

Franklin Covey is the name of a store that used to occupy space across from Border’s Books in what then was known as Carousel Mall. It was, for me, a kind of shrine to the quest for success created by adherence to writing a complicated “to do” list in planners produced by the Franklin Covey corporation.
Each year, I bought one of the pricey planners that promised, if one followed the instructions, to bring fruition to the momentous goal of “developing your personal mission, goals and tasks in a methodical manner”. There were printed guides you could purchase as well as an even pricier course you could take that would reorganize your way of thinking and planning and I guess, living your life. Organize your goals, your processes, and you will live a calm, fulfilled life (my words).
I was, at the time, one of those overwhelmed mothers with a full-time job, a spouse, a ten-year-old and a toddler. My days began at 5:30 a.m. and ended sometime after 11: 30 p.m. Most of the time, getting things done was a bit of a blur, muti-tasking as needed, which was almost all of the time and hoping that no one missed a meal, had clean clothes or was left behind. I thought that the planner would help me prioritize and use time in a more productive manner.
I mostly just wrote appointments in the lines allotted for each day. This prevented me from missing or being late for appointments. The rest sort of fell by the wayside.
So, this is one reason why I never achieved my goals of getting the house really clean, getting all of my
work done on time, making a six figure salary or losing the weight that kept coming back.
I remember this closet that we had set aside for guest use, which became the hide-away for garments that needed something, e.g. a button, ironing, etc. At one point we decided to turn this closet into a pantry and I then had to deal with a mountain of “I’ll get around to taking care of this piece of clothing later”. If Franklin Covey ever found out, I probably would have been barred from being able to even purchase a planner. I mean things in that closet had gone out of style years before the big clean out.
Lest I leave you with the picture of myself as completely unorganized, I did rise to the occasions where organization was necessary. I had a beautifully organized filing system in my office, my monthly outreach courses were always well prepared and on time, on Sunday evenings, after dinner, I would set up the ironing board and watch 60 minutes and Murder She Wrote while ironing, etc. but, still … I fell far short of the organized and the far less stressed others who actually followed the Franklin Covey life style.
You see, I am easily distracted by almost anything that is small, unique, loving or beautiful, from a child’s drawing to a road side flower. If I am plotting a road trip from point A to point B, I can and have instituted an unplanned detour which might take me on a road that I’ve always wondered about, especially if the day is warm and the sun is out. And making a batch of cookies is always a preferable diversion from any plan.
A book innocently lying on a table can call me away from housework, a coworkers story will put a project on hold as I listen and sun shining through a window can take me away from my computer in a trice.
Take today. I made out my list of things I wished to accomplish and began my list in the family room when I spotted the knitting that I’d left out last night. OK, I’ll just do a few rows before I take this afghan to the laundry room. It’s now almost 3 p.m. and I still haven’t taken that afghan down to the washer.
I do have friends who live busy, organized lives. They don’t seem lacking because they don’t sit in wonder watching four deer graze in their yard instead of making dinner nor are they unfulfilled because they don’t stop on the way out the door to dust an area that looked particularly grubby. These are people who know, actually know what they are doing on any day for months to come. You have to make appointments to see them … socially.
Other than family events and national holidays, I am really not sure what we will be doing even this weekend. Is this lack of organization or is it being flexible, a more nimble way of interacting with any number of possibilities?
I guess, like most of the world, there is a continuum of organization, matching the particular needs of each soul.
Maybe, someday, there will be a store that sells planners for the semi-organized and a course that schedules the time to wander, discover and appreciate all of the unplanned people and things that add such spice to everyday life.