Productivity obstacles

[mtbc]

I get a fair few hours of alertness each week that I have some freedom to use, even aside from the time before bed when I am winding down and relaxing. I also have things to do that are not getting done.

I think that the root of my problem is that I never quite worked out how to be part of a family in any efficient way. If I were living alone then I would look around and see things that need doing and just get up and do them. Living with my family, I usually don't, for a couple of reasons:

First, some of what I would do affects them in some way. Like, shelves need clearing and sorting, stuff needs moved around and stored or whatever. They have an interest in much of that stuff so I want them to be in the loop. But, they have limited free time too: even if I am willing to trade a fair bit of my own leisure time, I don't want to ongoingly demand significant amounts of their time. Especially, I am sure my eldest could do with whatever downtime they can get with Highers coming up.

Second, I want to be available to them. While they are often engaged in activities that don't include interaction with me, I want to be there for interaction should opportunities arise. I love them and want to be with them more than just sharing the same room. I can go elsewhere and do useful things and tell them not to hesitate to interrupt me but I would then miss more casual opportunities for conversation.

I notice that what I do get done is what I can do from the room they are in but that does not require anything from them nor much concentration from me: for example, working through the day's mail and making online bill payments accordingly.

The solution to the second problem is obvious though I have been poor at effecting it: I need to exert willpower and disappear off and do stuff for a while. For the first, perhaps I can impose more on their free time or go ahead and disrupt their stuff and handle my part of it then leave them to deal with the aftermath at their convenience.

Comments

[aldabra]

I've recently significantly upped the amount of things I go out and do in the evenings and weekends, such that I'm leaving K on her own at home a lot; she also has acquired a social life and often goes out independently.

I've found that an unexpected side-effect of this is that she will actively come and find me and talk to me when I get back; we're having more in the way of actual conversations as a side-effect of overlapping less in the house.

[mtbc]

Thank you, that sounds encouraging.