POUNDS AND OUNCES...

AN OUNCE OF MORNING IS WORTH A POUND OF AFTERNOON.

I first learned this pithy little truism nearly 50 years ago in a yearly Relief Society special event for all the women in the Arvada Colorado Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday-Saints.

It became my formula, my goal, and then my mantra for most of my adult life.  

I have a tendency to be lazy, procrastinate, and shy away from getting down to business, tackling the housework, or doing a particularly nasty assignment.  This guide helped me be productive and feel good about taking care of the myriad responsibilities of family and home.  During the 20 years I was a stay-at-home- Mom, I managed to do what needed to be done--when it needed to be done--without any lamenting that I should have done so and so, but didn't have time to do it.  My life ran pretty smoothly in spite of the bumps that were much easier to take in stride when the "basics" were already taken care of.

This little way of doing things has served me well.  But now that I am retired, I have given myself too many excuses to sleep in, put off until tomorrow what definitely should be done today....you get the picture.  And I feel bad about myself.  Things I would like to do, I have just gone off and done them, sometimes without taking care of stuff at home first.  Then I come home and face taking care of some job that could have so easily been done before I left IF I had only gotten myself in hand and gotten up early like I always did pre-retirement.

The early morning hours that were once so productive are now slipping by and before I know it, there isn't enough day left to do what needs to be done or do something I would like to do.  There just isn't enough time in the afternoon to do those big jobs which would have been much easier--and seem smaller--in the morning. 

The law of physics says that all hours are equal:  60 minutes each with 60 seconds in each minute.  But this "law" about an ounce of morning verses a pound of morning defies physics.  

It was a hard habit to break, the procrastination and laziness.  I struggle with that habit again and KNOW the benefits of starting early in the morning to take care of the business for the day.  I do pretty well for a few days, then fall off the wagon for whatever reason I manage to invent.  Each time it seems harder to begin all over again.  But I am determined to establish at least a smidgin of that old routine because an ounce is easier to carry around than a pound.  Plus I like the freedom I feel when what needs to be done gets done in a timely manner because I am well aware...

AN OUNCE OF MORNING IS WORTH A POUND OF AFTERNOON!