Fallen trees and storm damage kept me busy for half a day this week
I’ve had a busy time this week… as well as earning a living by editing scientific papers, I have been to a charity trustees’ meeting, photographed and cordoned off fallen trees, written several blog posts (here and elsewhere) and some begging letters, walked the dogs every day and done all those domestic things like cooking and washing. In total, about a day and a half (in work terms) has been dedicated to charity work. As I’m feeling rather pressured at the moment because I’m away teaching for three days next week, I have been asking myself why I’m doing all these things that I don’t NEED to.
Strangely, though, I can’t bring myself to put the charity work aside. I wonder whether I should just earn more money and pass that on, but to me it feels better to give a bit of myself… my time, my skills. And maybe, one of those letters that I have written this week will result in a lovely big donation that would make such a difference to the little charity that I support.
And now, I need to draft a blog post for the Cambrian Mountain Initiative, who have promised to feature Denmark Farm in their March spotlight… getting more guests in our accommodation adds to our income and supports our environmental work, so it’s a worthwhile investment of time.
Perhaps I just need to find a few more hours in the day!
The Snail of Happiness 
Sophie Cussen
/ February 22, 2014It’s a pain when time runs against you. Sounds like you’re extraordinarily busy. As long as you enjoy doing all those things then nothing needs to be cut. It’s only when you start feeling narky that it’s time to split, so to speak. I know how you feel about charity work. I’d love to physically do some charity work rather than always give money, at least that way I know I’m actually supporting the charity in a way I can see.
PS – Don’t forget to have some ‘you’ time. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 22, 2014Good point… perhaps I should take a day off and unplug the phone!
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wscottling
/ February 22, 2014I read a book a long time ago called “How to Live on Twenty Four Hours a Day” written by Arthur (or Arnold) Bennett. It was an interesting read since it was written in the early 1900’s and a lot of what he went on about still rings true today. You should download it if you haven’t read it. You might find it interesting. It’s free from any public domain site. i got my copy from Amazon, but I know that Project Gutenberg has it too. http://www.gutenberg.org/
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 22, 2014Thanks… I’ll get hold of a copy… perhaps I’ll read it whilst I’m away this week!!
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katechiconi
/ February 22, 2014Work expands to meet the time available, doesn’t it? Similarly, if you want something done, ask a busy person. I think it’s a good idea to check with your internal happiness gauge sometimes, and if what you are doing is making you grumpy and resentful instead of satisfied and fulfilled, it might be time to divert your energies for a while… Me time sounds like an excellent plan!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 22, 2014I’m not grumpy, fortunately, just tired… and hoping to find some time soon to do some sewing that’s all cut out now and waiting to go!
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Nice piece of work
/ February 23, 2014If and when you find the secret to making more time, please share it with everyone. I do actually have a little tip myself, but it depends on how much time you are spending in front of your pc screen. I am here more and more, and it’s become a terrible drain on my time. My habit has been to come into my office and power up as soon as I get out of bed, before I even put the kettle on! By the time my coffee is ready, I’m getting sucked into fb and wordpress and pinterest, etc. So – this last week or so, I’ve only allowed myself to log on and check for messages about 2 hours after I get up. I’m amazed by how much I can pack in to two hours of non-online time! 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 23, 2014I think that may be a very sensible tip… I often get up and switch the computer on even before I’ve let the chickens out. I probably could be much more disciplined!!
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