Counting Time

I looked at the clock as I drove home one morning after dropping everyone off.  It was 8:39.  In that moment, I was really surprised, and it wasn't necessarily because the time was later or earlier than it would have been on any other day when I was wrapping up my morning routine.  I was just really impressed by how much I'd done between 7:50 and 8:39.  Maybe I hadn't intentionally considered it in that way before.  

Between the times of 7:50 and 8:39 a.m. I:

Got everybody into the van and started driving

Reviewed spelling words on the way

Talked briefly about haunted houses 

Jammed with the girls to a song on the radio

Reminded them (and myself) of early school dismissal

Dropped my two oldest children off at school

Ensured their faces were actually clean and also moisturized before they entered the school, since, despite checking this before leaving the house, there's always some dry mystery material that appears in the corner of an eye or mouth in the few minutes it takes us to get to school. (By the way, I'm doing this through my rolled-down window before they cross in front of the van and head into the school.)

Drove  to my youngest daughter's preschool 

Parked down the street and walked to the school as usual

Entered the gate to the playground and greeted people

Signed in

Talked to one teacher about bingo at the older girls' school as well as how, for the children, the school seems to be an extension of home

Talked to my daughter--as she flung herself off a bench and around a pole-- about whether or not she wanted to wear her jacket 

Again, discussed the proposed location of her jacket and also her giraffe stuffie and plastic Spiderman toy she'd won at bingo night (see above)

Followed her over to the swings (holding all items mentioned above)

Gave my daughter what must've been 100 pushes on the swing

Midway, retrieved the Batman toy--which she had now been holding on her lap--from several feet across the yard where she'd either flung it or it flung due to momentum as the swing went high

Talked to her other teacher --while pushing-- about parent-teacher conferences, costumes, spirit week, and forgotten almond milk

Chatted with other parents

Hugged and consoled my daughter when I had to go

Exited the gate and walked back to my vehicle

Started the van and began the drive to make it home by 9

Looked at the clock and saw that it was only 8:39

Thought to myself: 8:39???

And really, I didn't notice the time until maybe 5 minutes into the drive. 

It felt like I had done a million things, and I marveled at my success in getting it all done in various settings within the span of 49 minutes.  I know there are so many of us doing so many things on a daily basis.

Often when considering time, we think there's not enough. There's so much to do.  Where has the time gone? How can I get anything done!? Etc.  I certainly understand the sentiments.  For me, it constantly feels like there's so much to do and not enough time to get it all done.

It feels nice when I take a more optimistic approach and squeeze out a moment to just acknowledge the things I am getting done, even if they're the things I do regularly as an adult who's striving to be organized and on top of things. 

When I reflected on the number of tasks I had completed in a short time, it became apparent that--of course-- things get done.  Intentionality about acknowledging accomplishments no matter how big or small can help close the gap between the reality of accomplishments and internal feelings of not getting things done.  

It all counts!