168 Hours Time Tracking Challenge Day 4

Much to write about today. After I hit post on this last night, I spent the next two hours dealing with the kids and reading, going in and out between the two. I turned off the light at 10:15, even though I only had 15 minutes left in my book (per the Kindle counter). Here’s how the day went:

10:15-4:45 — slept. The 2-year-old started yelling for the first time at 4:45. Oh my.

4:45-5:15 — in and out. Then he started yelling in a more structured way, giving me the arguments about why I should open his door (he’s very verbal!)

5:15-5:30 – I read him stories, and gave him a book to look at, and got him back in his crib.

5:30-6:15 — he stayed quiet, and I slept for about 30 minutes in here.

6:15 – 7:50 – up for good. Read (finished The Cotton Kingdom), sat with the 2-year-old, had coffee, breakfast, etc., got the other kids breakfast when they got up.

7:50 – 8:24 – G got here, I was in my running clothes already, so I raced out the door, and did 3 miles outside. Briefly paused to say hello to my daughter’s former pre-K teacher, who saw me running. It was a misty morning and very nice to run outside after my treadmill days.

8:24 – 8:28 – semi cool down (not really)

8:28-8:45 – all 7 neighborhood children got out to the bus on time this morning again.

8:45-9- showered, dressed.

9-5:30 – worked, pretty much straight through (about 15 minutes off for lunch with the 2-year-old). I did 4 phone interviews, and one podcast, recorded by the fabulous Peter Shankman. He has a book “Faster Than Normal” — about succeeding with ADHD — out next month. I worked on Off the Clock and I think I have solved the problem that was festering so lousily yesterday.

5:30-6:45 – ate, then drove to the local elementary school for the second back-to-school night extravaganza. This one was for my daughter. This is our third time in this kindergarten class. At one point I may have been looking at my texts when I saw one from my husband saying “I’m here.” I looked up, and sure enough he was in the back of the room.

6:45 – 9:20 – slipped out, leaving my husband to do the 5th grade back to school night session. I drove to our church for my first choir rehearsal! Yes, after a 6-year hiatus, I am back to singing. I was a little rusty, but it was fun, and we were doing some songs I’d sung during my various other choir stints. It is a normal church choir, but there are several professional singers who have been hired as ringers who keep the standards high. I was sitting next to our professional second soprano, so that was a real treat (and made it much easier to sight read). The professional alto sang a solo and whoa. I could have listened to her all night. Anyway, I had a lot of fun, then talked to the director about joining the smaller chamber group which will sing some master works. I also talked about my time starting the Competition for Young Composers with the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus. We may look at doing something similar at the church.

9:20 – home to find none of the kids were in bed. Sigh. Hurried them all upstairs. Read to my daughter, then read a wonderful piece of literature called “A Potty For Me” to the 2-year-old. Now they’re all quiet. I got a snack and am writing this and will post soon.

How’s time-tracking going for you?

5 thoughts on “168 Hours Time Tracking Challenge Day 4

  1. My day was completely interrupted at lunch by my youngest daughter and my 3 year old granddaughter. It was a beautiful fall afternoon and after a stint playing in soapy water at the kitchen sink Pyper wanted to go outside. She played in her Costco purchased toddler standing sand and water play thingee, then moved on to pick apples. I knew they would leave in time to pick up Allyson, age 9, my 4th grader granddaughter. My daughter did some playing in the sand toy, but spent most of the time on her phone responding to messages regarding her business. KT said yes to Pyper getting ice cream and she enjoyed the last mini drumstick that was in my freezer. Then I made Ally a snack (fresh apple slices from our tree and Nutella), put it in a reusable container and sent them off with kisses. Then I went back outside to the patio table and watched the Facebook live replay. I have learned to accept those interruptions because they grow so fast and nothing I have to do is so pressing that I can’t spent a quiet afternoon with my sweet Pyper (and her mother….haha). My overnight crockpot applesauce burned, won’t do that again. All that wasted peeling and chopping!

  2. Time tracking has been very insightful so far but it is an unusual week in that I took a business trip which I only do about once a year. How do you decide what is work and what is not while traveling? I would classify knitting on the plane as fun but reading a work paper as work. Also what about all the associated travel time or dinners with work colleagues (not required but I wanted to go out with them).

    1. @Jen – in general, I only count travel time as “work” if you are also doing something that is actively achieving your work goals. So if you are talking with a colleague on the train, it is work. If you are knitting by yourself, it is not. If you are driving, it generally isn’t work, but if you are, say, practicing a speech while driving, than it is. Dinner with work colleagues is work — the fact that you are enjoying yourself and you like those people doesn’t make it not work! I don’t define work as only things I don’t want to do.

  3. I joined our church choir several years ago after my own LONG (20+ years) hiatus. It’s one of my favorite things I do. The music, the people… We have a few professional musicians, but we’re mostly just plain church folks. We tackle some pretty impressive stuff, but since there are 110 of us, the better voices drag the others along! We say we’re the largest small group in the church. There’s nothing like music, is there?

  4. I am enjoying the challenge…and reading your daily reflections. I think that I am finally beginning to detach myself from the process and just record what has happened and quit analyzing so much (for now). Like I have said earlier, there will be enough time for an “autopsy” and search for patterns as I keep this up. Now that I have some momentum, this will be easier.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *