The Personal Betterment Campaign

Thanks to E. for the term, is also possibly planning something similar in her blog/life. (Let me know if you want me to link to you, E.)

The truth is I am spectacularly lazy. My laziness is perhaps unmatched by anyone except my husband, whose advantage is that he doesn't feel guilty about it. You know how, when you were young and single and maybe had a college roommate or two, or a post-college roommate or two, or a boyfriend/girlfriend roommate or two, and there would always be someone who would slack on all the chores. That was me. I was enabled in this slacking by subconsciously (in one case) choosing a passive aggressive neat freak to share a house with. In another case I was living with my sister and I knew she would "notice" that the kitchen was dirty before I did. My comeuppance was marrying someone who never has noticed that the kitchen is dirty. (The upside is that I never have to clean to please him: that would truly be worse.)

So, I hate to clean, but I also am really good at wasting time when I should be studying. Or putting off tasks that need to be done for work if I can do them from home. Right now, for example, I should be preparing for this afternoon's tutoring session, but I have 45 minutes and I can probably bang that out in half an hour. Then, run late and tear out of here, forget my purse or my phone or something, and possibly get a speeding ticket on the way. 'Cause that's the way I roll.

Exercise is the same way. Although I've been semi-consistent through the summer, I've not done what intended to do. Nor have I lost any of the weight that's been creeping back up in the last year. I keep setting goals in my head for how many workouts, when to do them, where to do them. I keep meaning to start running again; I remember that I really liked it when I was doing it. I have even woken up spontaneously around 5:30 for the past few days, but have just groaned and gone back to sleep.

I also have to study. I have to take a comprehensive exam for my master's degree, so that I can graduate in the spring (yay!). Correction: I have to pass a comprehensive exam. Everyone that knows me might be rolling their eyes because I'm a reasonably high achiever when it comes to grades, but I feel that's because I usually, eventually, with possible kicking and screaming, buckle down and study at the last minute. Well, now it's a month away and several smart people from last year said it was really hard, so it's probably close enough to the last minute to start buckling.

Oh, and I'm trying to get a job. So I should be doing more about that. More applications sent out, more contacts made, etc., etc.  

Sounds good on paper, but so hard in reality. I wish I could do all of this on the internet. Yes, the cleaning and exercising, too.

So, here's my proposal for personal betterment.

Cleaning: Assign chores (make chart for kids), have a daily task.

Exercise: 1 hour/day

Studying: 1 hour/day

Employment: 1 application or 1 phone contact/day (until they all dry up!)

I wanted to create a feature on my webpage where I could update those daily, but I can't figure it out. Plus, now I only have half an hour to work on my tutoring lesson. So, I leave you with today's effort.

Cleaning: Swept and mopped new laundry room floor.

Exercise: 20 minute cardio, 30 minute weights (2 rotations)

Studying: Not yet (2 hours yesterday?)

Employment: Not yet (interview yesterday?)

I'll keep you posted as I get better and better. Or totally slack off. One or the other.