How do you organize your day?
Do you just take the tasks as they show up?
Do you just clear your schedule and get ready for all the last-minute things that come your way?
Do you make a list?
If you are a list maker, have you ever had a day where your to-do list stretches around the block?
You try and get it all done.
Truly.
You try and try and try and try, but for every item that you check off, you add two more.
And somewhere…..in the middle of all that trying…..
….you have a brilliant idea. 🙂
You are going to multi-task.
I know….right? Brilliant. I thought it was a brilliant idea, too.
Two things at the same time?
Crossing two items off the list with a single stroke of the pencil?
Brilliant idea you tell yourself. Simply brilliant.
It has to work. I mean, you’ve seen your mom successfully do it and she’s amazing. You’ve seen friends multi-task and you have a vague memory of trying it before.
I mean, really?
How hard can it be?
Kind of like rubbing your stomach and patting your head.
At first the whole thing works like a charm.
You order groceries on your phone while adding pumpkins to urns on the front porch.
You edit all the photos for this post while washing two loads of clothes.
You sweep off the back porch and water the flowers—all while practicing your speech for the event at the Silobration next week.
You become the most efficient of people.
Like talk show might call you up to interview you to see how you get it all done.
Or the local news might stop by with cameras just to witness all your efficiency.
Seriously.
If you were a superhero they would call you the efficienterator.
Along the way something amazing happens.
Your list gets shorter and shorter and shorter.
You blink twice and there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
Why didn’t I try this before…..you tell yourself?
It’s going so well and zipping by so fast without a hitch. Everything is wonderful. Everything is working out.
Until.
Until it doesn’t.
Until you decide that you are going to sew a ruffle onto a sheet and talk on the phone to your best friend at the same time.
Simple, right?
I mean….isn’t that what speakerphones are for?
And besides?
You are the CAPTAIN OF EFFICIENCY.
The conversation goes a little like this.
You: (brrrrring….the sound of the sewing machine) Hello?
Her: I need your opinion.
You: (brrrrrrriiiiiinnng….never pausing the sewing) Of course. You have come to the right place. My specialty is opinions.
Her: What do you think of vintage maple buckets?
You: (brrriiinng) I love them. (brrrrr) What a fun idea (briiiinnnggggg) I think I……(clunck, thud)
……ohhhhhhh nooooooooooo.
Pause.
Silence.
You: (with the sound of anguish in your voice) I have to call you back.
You get off the phone because you’ve sewed your shirt to the ruffles on your sheet.
Yep.
Then when you try to get the two apart, you break the sewing needle with half of it still threaded attached to your shirt.
Good times.
Now you’ve added—drive to Wal-Mart to buy a sewing needle to your to-do-list.
And instead of multi-tasking?
Sigh.
You’re extra-tasking.
The moral of the story? The lesson learned right here in the middle of this fall tour?
Multi-tasking is awesome.
But trying to get everything done in double-time can be overwhelming and exhausting.
So today my friends….take a lesson from someone who almost lost the shirt off her back.
Press the pause button.
Slow down.
Take a break.
Then look around at the beautiful fall leaves outside, smell the crispness in the air, smile at the world, take a sip of coffee and enjoy the sunshine….
….and tackle one thing at a time. 🙂
And now?
A giant shout out to my friend Sheila from Maison de Cinq for putting a fun fall tour together.
Here are a few more fall tours from some of my favorite people.
I use to be a list maker- lived by it but when the nest emptied and we went with a "less Lifestyle" things just got easier. on so many levels. What I realized after the fact, life could have been just as easy when the nest was full if I would have slowed down just a bit. So now, it's more about living in the moment, enjoying every little thing and learning the good that comes from it. I agree with hitting pause button and slowing down because life moves too fast. For me keeping things simple is just a great way to live. Hope your day is amazing Karianne...
Thanks for sharing....sounds like an episode of I Love Lucy....hilarious and vaguely familiar 😆. I haven’t done that but have definitely made more work for myself in the end because I was trying to do too much at the same time. Focus, focus, focus and slooooow down. Your Fall decor is so lovely and I can’t wait to check out the other blogs 💜
First of all...can I just tell you how brilliant the pops of wheat color (and actual wheat on the mantel next to the gold mirror!) complement the creamy whites and greens all over your house?!!!! I mean, from the throw over the chair with that wheat pattern to the spikey pumpkin on the console under the stairs. I am just so impressed! Everything looks spectacular. Second of all...you're speaking at Silobration?!!! So cool. Just so cool!
One word... LOVE! Laughed my sides off because reality!! Beautiful decor, as well... :-)
In the midst of that great post, the vintage maple buckets tugged at my heart. A few years ago our pastor's family had to stop using the metal maple buckets that had been in use on their farm for generations. Now the metal was harming us & had to be replaced with, geez, plastic! Ok, maybe some special non-toxic 21st century plastic. But the bottom line is the, the metal buckets had to go. I looked at the those hard working beauties & said I would adopt a few. Maybe a few more than a few. I gathered my paint & stencils & gave them a new career! On some I put house numbers; some wth WELCOME; others with fancy (for a farm implement) monogram, Then i asked them to hold a pretty plant & delivered them to my church friends. The one on my front porch has been friends with ferns, Fall mums, small Christmas trees & more. Thanks for the sweet tug!
You are so much fun Karianne! I cannot live without my daily to do list, in my planner. Written of course. I do multi task when I talk with my kids (grown) on the phone each day. It's how I get the kitchen clean. Definitely would not try sewing, though! Today my list is 4 pages long. . . will have to enjoy all these lovely pics another day! Something to look forward to!
Too funny! Yes, we all try to do too much, don't we? I love seeing your beautiful rooms and even though you had the sewing mishap, your home is so pretty and cozy...that has to count for something! Shelley
Haha this is SO me KariAnne! I'm pretty sure I'm always "extra-tasking" and I'm totally borrowing that term from now on!! Your home looks absolutely gorgeous!! Love, love, love your neutral fall decor you have going on. I'm especially crushing on your china cabinet in the kitchen. With the shafts of wheat and all your other textures it looks so good! Thanks again for joining us my friend and happy fall to you! Sheila xo
Hilarious and oh so familiar sounding! Everyday seems like that around here!🤪. The tour is lovely!
I find myself scrolling and scrolling to read the story because it's so exciting! Then I have to scroll back to the beginning and enjoy the pictures!! Love you to pieces!!! xoxo
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I must admit that multi-tasking is what I am guilty of...and in that frenzy have sewn through my fingernail. Missed the finger, but was stuck until I could reach something to cut my nail off with.... I could so relate to what you did!!!!!! Loved all the pictures so beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this!! I try to multi-task all the time and it usually puts me in a no-task mood. I'm trying to be more methodical. It sounds boring doesn't it? But I think it would be so beneficial. Great fall photos! Nancy
I love how you write...you are so funny! I try many of your suggestions! I have one question...where do you buy all your pumpkins? Are they real? Thank you!!
You are simply precious! I laughed too, with you! Your home is absolutely beautiful, just like you. xoxo
KariAnne, this is beautiful. You are so funny and such a great decorator.
Haha - I love your beautiful photos and your great advice KariAnne! I can totally relate, although I lost my skirt instead of my shirt! :) Happy Calm and Relaxing Fall to you! ❤️
You slay me girl...your so funny...guess the saying .... the hurrier i go, the behinder I get. Is true... slow and sure wins the race......must be to...oh! And,Murphys law.... Love your decorating style....love your blog. ..
My daughter just asked me why I was laughing. :) Yes, the older I get, the less I try to multitask--too many "oops" moments are in my past.
I'm not the best at being organized...clearly I show the best parts of things only! Great tour!
Are we Silobrating your speech!!!! Happy for you!
I'm a bullet journal girl here, and yup that wheel of extra tasking gets me in trouble all the time!!
Hi KariAnne. The background of your website is showing up as black to me instead of white today. Your site is the only one doing that. Not sure if it's something on my end or yours but thought I would give you a heads up!
Never mind I figured it out! Tiny hands were playing with my phone and messed up my browser settings LOL!!
Haha! I love multi-tasking, but it does carry a risk... 😁 Hey, I thought it was going to be worse: one day my mom called me up frantically. She'd sewn THROUGH her finger... on a serger. She couldn't get out without either cranking a double needle back through her finger, or putting another huge sharp hunk of metal through it instead. Fun choices! I lived right across the street, but by the time I got there ( .278 seconds), she'd managed to free herself. Whew! I'll have to ask her if she was multi-tasking... 😄😉😁
Beautiful! I especially love that how welcoming that front door/walkway is.
Oh my gosh! I spit out my iced tea about you sewing your shirt to your sewing. I have sooooo (sew) done things like that. And no excuse - I wasn't on phone at the time! You tell the best stories, such a great sense of humor. Love your tour - your home looks amazing. It was 86 when I left on vacation and now it is mid 50s and finally feels like Autumn. Yay. Hugs.
KariAnne, Love your front porch and other fall decor. All the ideas are beautiful for fall. Thank you for sharing at Happiness is Homemade Link Party 292. I'm sharing it today as one of my features on my Monday newsletter.
Oh, yes! I still multi-task but there are certain things that do not go together, some tasks that require full attention. It's hard, though. I am retired and have been for several years, but I still have the compulsion to do more in less time. Why? so I can accomplish even more! Thanks for the reminder!