Winding Up

The weekly blogging topic is "winding up" so of course I have to make a list of things you wind up+:

antique tops (the kind with strings)
toys (the tin walking kind)
yo-yos (Duncan?)
worries (well, really, they wind me up)
clocks (the old-fashioned kind)
timers (a-ha!)

Well, I'm going to leave the worries behind and focus on timers. I recently rejoined www.flylady.net at the nudging of a friend. Creative people can often become sidetracked by our ideas. Flylady is someone who has dealt with the chaos that can sometimes result from getting sidetracked. She has a couple of slogans I like - "Progress Not Perfection" and "You Can Do Anything for 15 Minutes". The timer is a big part of her program - the idea that a large goal needs to be broken down into do-able chunks.

I remember years and years ago when I was sewing for my little boy Nancy Zieman had a book called "10-20-30 Minutes to Sew". Again, it was taking a large goal - say making an heirloom outfit and breaking it down into 20 minute do-able chunks.

My dad used to say (and sometimes still does!) that "Perfectionism is the enemy of progress." It really is true. If I feel that I need to clean the whole house well you can bet it's a lot easier to read my e-mail. But if all I have to do is unload the dishwasher, then that's doable.

So winding up for me means get out the timer and work at something for 15 minutes! Progress Not Perfection!

4 comments:

Gerushia's New World said...

Dixie: I love your "winding Up" post. I haven't had time to do mine yet, but I'll get it done before the week is over.

Kim
Garden Painter Art
gnarly-dolls

Shabby Cottage Studio said...

Dang girl, you're FAST!!Good post I really like that idea, Progress not Perfection...I'm trying. :-)

Shirlee said...

Whoo hoo, I finally found a dollmaking blogger, I'll definately put you in my favorites. I'm relatively new to doll making but really enjoy it. I bought some patterns so I could learn the basics. It's just finding the time!
I love your bunny make-do.

MaryAnn said...

You are so right Dixie! The big picture does get in the way when sometimes it is just a piece that needs/can be done. I have used the Flylady and Getting Things Done by David Allen. They both break the big picture down into doable bites. Great post!


"Do not let what you cannot do
keep you from doing what you can do."

John Wooden