Many of you know I have struggled with re-entry on prior trips. Major causes include:
- getting behind on podcast-related work and coming to home to a pileup that feels incredibly overwhelming
- heading straight into a call week or some other major transition (example: back to school in the fall!)
- arriving home on a Sunday or totally fatigued and very late on Saturday
- someone being sick (just so common post-travel!)
- jet lag and MUCH later schedule compounding it (happens when we go West -we’ll turn 2-3 hours into 5-6 because of sleeping in / staying up late. We will have to try to avoid that in Hawaii . . .)
I am happy to report that somehow this particular re-entry felt much easier than usual! We arrived home by dinnertime on Saturday, which meant a full night of sleep and heading into Sunday pretty rested. We had NOTHING planned Sunday, which was perfect (and unusual). I did a ton of laundry and unpacking and house resetting and the kids did a lot of TV watching/video game playing (Josh was working and I had decided not to worry about it in this particular case). I walked over 12,000 steps and probably 80% of those were in the house, moving laundry around, cleaning up, and putting things away.
And then Monday I had a reasonably light day (one BIG interview and one BLP to record plus I had to get a rental car since mine won’t be fixed for at least a few more days, but that was mostly it).
SOOOOO for once I feel good!! My clinical inbox today will probably be exploding and I have a full schedule of patients tomorrow, but I can stay late if need be and catch up, and/or continue to catch up throughout the week. I absolutely have plenty of other things I need to deal with Weds (starting the BLP Live launch up this week, beginning with returning participants) but the number of things is not panic inducing.
AND, March is a pretty normal month, as far as work goes! I have 4 solid weeks with at least 2 days for creative work — this feels like such a luxury after February (in which I basically had 4 total AND THAT INCLUDES MY COLONOSCOPY PREP DAY AND THE DAY OF THE PROCEDURE ITSELF, OMG).
I didn’t take on that much that was new/big this month and that was the right choice and that is probably why I feel okay. I didn’t hit all that many of my February goals but I kept my head above water, got the important things done, and feel good heading into the last month of Quintile 1!
REMINDER: I’ll be in Palm Beach County this Wednesday at the Lantana Public Library, at 6 PM talking about . . . all things planning and planning adjacent (and the book)! Would LOVE to see some of you there — and Jenny might be there (hoping! No pressure Jenny!).
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Hi! I love the photo stickers. Would you mind please sharing what device you use?
Also, I’m sorry if you’ve already addressed this, but for upcoming Q&A: Could you please talk about managing housework? I live in a house with my husband and two cats (no kids) and constantly struggle with keeping everything up. I tend to think of chores by room, but I’ve also seen systems (like Clean Mama) that schedule by task type (clear clutter one day, mop another day). Do you make a housekeeping task list (e.g., clean mirror, organize under sink, clean the toilet) or just write “clean the bathroom”? I’m just so curious how other people (especially with kids, whose houses are much busier than mine!) manage.
Thanks in advance!
Hi! It’s the Canon Selphy QX20 compact photo printer – I love it!
Re: housework – first I have to note that I outsource a lot! Our nanny does some day to day tidying, and the laundry during the week plus a lot of the cooking. We also have cleaners come every other week for the ‘heavier duty’ stuff. SO – I do not in any way want to say oh I have housework solved when I don’t do that much of it!
But I will say I tend to just assign myself (or the kids, and/or ask Josh for help with) housework on an as-needed basis. Like, in the morning if I notice “omg we have a laundry mountain” I’ll put it on my list on a weekend day. Or – oh, we have people coming over and the bathroom isn’t pristine – then I’ll put on my list to clean it up. Mostly bc I never want to be doing housework more than is necessary so I’m okay being pretty ‘reactive’ vs proactive about it! BUT again with the caveat that I have a lot of assistance I know not everyone has!
I will say in a fam of 5 we have a full load of laundry done basically every day. (Post-travel, I think I did 5 on Sunday!)
Thanks so much for both responses!
This is always a struggle for me too, but I can share what we currently tend to do! We’re a family of 4 and we don’t outsource anything right now (except to our kids, lol!). We clean the “main” part of our house every other weekend- for us, that’s the kitchen, sunroom and living room (dust, mop, vacuum, clean cabinet surfaces, appliances, etc.). Every other weekend each boy cleans a bathroom- my husband does the master bath, 1 teen does the main bathroom and 1 teen does the guest bathroom. The boys are responsible for cleaning their rooms every weekend. I usually clean our bedroom every couple weeks. We typically change all the sheets on Saturdays, and I tend to wash towels and cleaning rags on Fridays. Our boys do their own laundry now, usually once a week, whenever they need to. My husband washes our clothes and folds (typically no more than 1-2 loads ever) one weeknight while he’s watching TV or something. We clean the basement spaces ad hoc, usually before guests are coming! haha. I often do a mid-week “power clean up” and straighten up everything at some point in between and I do most of the daily “dish putting away, counter wiping, etc.”. Together, this all tends to keep our house pretty presentable on a day to day basis. Deeper organizing like under the sink etc is a whole other can of worms- I usually do most of that stuff. It happens when it happens, ha.
I feel like a buffer day between returning from vacation and getting back to the grind is so important. It really makes a difference! So when it’s possible, we opt for that.
The buffer day is so key! I think if the buffer day is not possible, then planning on getting minimal extras done on return is the only other solution, and mentally putting aside all “urgent to other people but not actually urgent” tasks until you gain back some bandwidth.
Also, not sure what the delegation of laundry situation is in your house… but I haven’t done my husband’s laundry one time over our 22-year long relationship, and daughter has been doing her own for a few years. Does it *have* to be your responsibility? Especially after vacation? Just curious.
our nanny does the laundry almost every weekday! so I am def not a laundry martyr. BUT Josh was on call/working in the hospital Sunday and we had an absolute mountain that needed tackling. A did help me fold a load or 2. But in this particular case I just decided to own it. Probably could have gotten some more kid help but I did make them all put their things away (well not G. haven’t given her that job yet!)
Also just have to give Josh credit bc he definitely does mine more than I do his. (I tend to do more of the weekend kitchen duties cooking shopping etc).
Yes I am planning to be there tonight!!! Looking forward to it : )
awww yay! I will know at least one person then 🙂 🙂