I am a master of busy work. Puttering is soothing for me. So what is the difference? In this next month of creating a workable daily plan, I came across this stumbling block as I counted out change put aside for laundry money. The goal was a good one - I do need laundry money twice a month - specifically loonies - so saving my change seemed like a worthy goal. Otherwise I would have to get to the bank for a roll of loonies. As I was adding up my quarters to see where I stand, the ‘busy work’ thought pinged in my head like an alert on my cell phone. Am I really saving time? Or am I setting myself up for more ‘busy work’ than the time it would take for a trip to the bank, sometimes along with another errand?
All that aside, I really do like puttering. There is a soothing quality for me to puttering about my home with minor tasks, or fixing tasks, or whatever I wish to do. When I am in doubt of true meanings, I go to online dictionaries and in this case a real, old hard cover dictionary (Copyright 1976 - it’s not that old!) - just in case they disagree. You know how the English language morphs and changes. Sadly, it would seem they agree. From my 1976 Websters: ‘putter: 1. to move or act aimlessly or idly. 2. To work at random’. Not exactly the same wording on the online dictionaries, but the meanings are quite the same. Online Merriam-Webster: ‘to spend time in a relaxed way doing small jobs and other things that are not very important.’ And believe me, I can work at random or doing small jobs for hours, until I want to pick up a book and read. Or let my iPad distract me.
For the purposes of creating guidelines for daily planning, puttering can be included, however, my thought is that a timer is needed! There’s also no one here to be the boss of me, nor would I want anyone else to be the boss of me. Seriously though, I do have three important projects that I wish to complete. Frequently a timer when writing has been very useful. Paying attention to that timer when I’m puttering and busy working also useful. Not always successful, but it has worked quite well for me - when I pay attention. At the same time, I know that putting blinders on, staying too focussed for too long is as dangerous to project completion as unchecked puttering. (Puttering can get a lot of household tasks done.)
I’ve just returned from a great weekend away with my kids in Vancouver. Yesterday, we had a lovely outing with friends for Dim Sum in the morning. Later in the day we had an Oscar party with the tenderest, most delicious pot roast and rich, fudgy chocolate cake - there was salad, potatoes and gravy but the first two mentioned were definitely the stars. Time spent like that is another issue to consider when ‘going deeper, not wider’. Time taken with family to let the work of the previous days or weeks settle in, to deepen family bonds and just plain relax and laugh. All the project work, and even puttering tires a body and mind out!
Based on this bit of enlightenment, I am revising my Daily Plan from my March 3rd blog post. Rather, re-titling it and making a couple of additions seems more realistic. Any good plan starts with guidelines, and usually much discussion to find out what they are. In that light:
Guidelines for Daily Planning
- Be prepared
- Allow for flexibility
- Balance project work with puttering
- Be alert for busy work
- Set a timer - begin with 25 to 45 minutes.
Oh my goodness, I thought this would be easy. Deciding to review one’s life habits with clarity, without judgement, and with kindness may just get the important projects done, while realistic puttering is allowed to continue. Busy work maybe needs to be pared away, but honestly I think it might be the same thing as puttering just not accomplishing as much.
“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants.
The question is: What are we busy about?”
~ Henry David Thoreau
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