On this glorious autumn day I find myself having to sit at home to write a PowerPoint for a conference paper. Tedious as it sounds I must confess to actually enjoying this type of stuff- I think it is the "writing" that appeals to me most- or is the opportunity to voice my opinion? Anyway, all would be well except for the fact that I have to have this finished today but I am also at home with Miss Muffin and she needs to be parented! Muffin is a very energetic little thing and only takes the barest minimum of daytime naps so juggling my responsibilities is the order of the day.
I had planned to wake at the crack of dawn and get in a good two hours of writing before she woke. Unfortunately last night Muffin decided a three a.m party would be a good idea which meant I was so exhausted I actually slept in! What to do? Well I have taken a deep breath and this is how I have tackled things so far;
1. Pretty much given up on perfectionism with this project. This pains me no end as I love a creative presentation! Sigh. There will be no pretty fonts, fancy animations or inspiring music on my PowerPoint- just cold, hard written content. Perhaps on the day I can muster some amazing charisma to keep everyone interested?
2. I am writing in "blocks"which is a fancy way of saying I am grabbing five minutes at every opportunity to type out a sentence or two. There is simply no hope for the luxury of uninterrupted thought.
3. I have quickly thought up a few activities which I hope will capture Muffin's interest so she remains cheerful throughout the day. So far we have filled an old metal tea pot with water and transferred the contents to a cup multiple times, played with some bubbles and made some pikelets together (which she refused to eat!). However, the best activity was making pet rocks as it kept her entertained for a good twenty minutes or so. I must say it was very cute as she collected enough rocks to represent our entire family. Bless.
A little while later...
Believe it or not this routine of writing, then playing, then changing nappies, then writing, then repeat has resulted in a completed, albeit "minimalist" presentation! I now have a happy boss and a happy child- who knew that could be possible? Admittedly the breakfast dishes still haven't been done but, hey, you can't achieve everything!
Are you someone who works from home with children? Any tips to share on getting stuff done to everybody's satisfaction?
I am going to make some pet rocks with my boys for our front yard. Sounds cute.
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