Earlier today I wrote about types of motivation.
By nature I am (in that essay's vocabulary) proactive and eudaimonic. There are ways I can arrange my schedule and to-do lists that make me confident I can do well. I am most relaxed and happy when I have a desirable schedule and routines.
But for the past six years I have been a househusband.
So much for being able to arrange my schedule routines! I do not even get to expect to sleep through the night or eat a meal uninterrupted.
For example, consider tonight's dinner. The boys and I had salmon quesadillas, and I also had some scrambled eggs. We ate in the back yard. I ate dinner in little bits, interrupted by keeping the boys on track, getting them drinks and later apple, grilling more quesadillas, changing a dirty diaper, and washing dishes promptly to keep the fish smell out of the house.
That's okay. I can be patient until I some day get a calm, relaxing, prayerful meal. But eating while metaphorically juggling does make me relish having a bite of sweet dessert, and that brief relaxing pleasure fades so quickly. I'm really not good at being hedonic. But when I am unable to be eudaimonic, my body naturally tries the alternative despite knowing it is less effective for me.
Anyway, one of my resolutions during the days of counting the omer is to try to better feed by eudaimonic nature. This should make me happier, and less interrupted by my mostly-ineffective hedonic habits.
The boys are old enough that I can put up some boundaries and they understand. They do not always get to ask me with questions. I get some typing time (like right now!) when they need to entertain themselves instead of asking me to entertain them. I get some prayer time where being physically still does not mean I am idle and interruptible. I can practice tai chi again and they know to let me finish the short routine. I get some evening time at the dojo each week without them.
I expect this will reduce how much I snack on chocolate and feel the need to let my brain tune out by reading unimportant online news and blogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment