It is becoming increasingly obvious to me that Friday's are a logistical challenge in budgeting my time,a very valuable commodity.
I have made some adjustments along the way,like shopping on Thursday for Shabbat .
I also have started doing some of my prep work, specifically any cooking that needs to take place, on Thursday evenings.
Friday's are now a matter of getting everything ready for and into the oven in an orderly manner.
I leave the house at 7,drive until 11:30,run to Teaneck for my chickens,get home and everything into the oven or crock pots ,grab a quick lunch before heading back to the bus at 1.
By the time I finish my last run and get the bus back to the center it's 5:30 or later.
The drive home is 25 minutes or more depending on traffic.
With dinner set for 6:30, my window for getting everything set and plated is tight.
So besides the "grab a quick lunch" part, there isn't a whole lot of time to accomplish things like writing to you,answering emails or any of my normal end of the week activities.
Without a new plan, my "How Am I Doin' Fridays" are in jeopardy of becoming a thing of the past,alomg with a neat and clean transition from one week to the next.
I think it's more of a mental adjustment that needs to happen than anything else.
Friday's were always my "wrap up the week" day.
Did I take care of payroll?
Have all my bills been paid and billing gone out?
Do we have some spending money for the weekend?
Did I address all of the open items from the previous week?
Have I set my calendar for the upcoming week?
At the end of the day, is my desk top cleared and neat and ready to hit the ground running on Monday morning?
In the past, that is what Fridays looked like.
Once I moved my office back home, I even had time to prepare meals and ready the table for Shabbat through out the day.
If necessary, I could even squeeze in a quick trip to the market or grocery store.
Now a days, that just isn't the case.
It's obvious to me that I need a new plan.
Maybe Thursday has to become that wrap up and clean up day?
Maybe Saturday morning?
Maybe some combination of both?
Change....it is inevitable!
Challenging,but inevitable none the less.
Shabbat Shalom!