Mom, Interrupted

Lately I have been having a lot of those days where I think, if only I could have an hour to just sit and do this, I could get finished!

If only.

It doesn’t happen, and it’s frustrating. I sit down to eat breakfast, and am stopped midway by my 3-year-old, who wants to play outside in the snow and needs help putting his boots and coat on. Folding a basket of laundry took me almost an hour – I kept stopping to redirect my older children, who only wanted to watch TV all day, and keep my baby entertained. The last time my husband and I had a movie night we paused it several times, as usual.

I have, of course, been interrupted countless times since I started writing this!

One of the great things about being a stay-at-home Mom is that I (generally) have the flexibility to take care of things when I get a chance. Apart from appointments and activities, I don’t have to be any particular place at any particular time, and I like that. If I’m up late with a sick or non-sleepy child, it’s not the end of the world, because I can usually get a nap the next day, or at least a little down time. It’s virtually never true that I literally have no time to do anything – but it’s not a question of whether time is available, but of whether I can finish one thing and move on to the next!

This is the heart of my problem. I like to make lists, so I can cross things off as I accomplish them and see my progress. It’s the unforeseen interruptions that come up more or less constantly throughout the day that derail me, every time. It takes twice as long to do half as much. It’s harder to see my progress, and it starts to feel overwhelming when I have to keep stopping. Again. How will I ever get anything done?

*Sigh* It’s been that kind of week.