When we were kids and living on Westshore beach in New Zealand we were often late to school. Especially when we had to wait for the littlies who we had to escort to school. And we were only about five blocks from school so we walked of course. Everyone did. And when running late Mum would counsel us to” walk to a lamppost then skip to the next lamppost then RUN to the next lamppost then walk again, skip, run, etc. she said you will get there faster if you give yourself a lampposts worth of walking downtime. 
Good advice for life I have always thought, to push hard for a while knowing that you can go slow again at regular intervals.
Stress is ok but it is important to have those wee organized blocks of downtime.
I say to my cows or pigs or dogs – I am going on a break and I give myself permission to sit and do nothing for ten minutes. Absolutely nothing. No device, no talking, eyes closed. A walking lamp-post.
There is another idea for managing life that I heard on a Ted talk the other day: multi tasking in slow motion. The art of working on more than one task at a time. Open a screen – line up your headings then go and do something else while your ideas filter and cogitate.
I think most of us naturally work on three or four things at the same time. It would be interesting to sort them out and name them.
More extreme rain and terrible storms here today. Literally just under three inches in about twenty minutes. The sky was a terrible dark greeny colour. Then we were hit. 
Then within a half hour the sun was out again and John was making corn muffins with cornmeal I had brought home from the mill. Thankfully he does most of the cooking now. Or we would not be eating before eight or nine. I am never finished with chores before six and he goes to bed at seven so he cooks. Sensible. 
And greens from the garden. The greens are loving this weather! The asparagus is really beginning to grow.
Now, it is time for me to ready the cows for milking. And run for a few lamp-posts.
Have a good day.
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
31 responses to “ONE LAMP-POST AT A TIME”
I just love how thoughtful your fellowship is. Such wonderful people. Like them I’m intrigued by the lamppost idea. Definitely going to try it. But I must say I am not even remotely a multitasker. I would’ve been diagnosed with ADD when I was a kid. I can’t cook and listen to tv, especially if I’m reading a recipe.
Your mom was a wise woman. We can go at full speed all the time. And doing nothing isn’t going to get anything accomplished.
Rain … so MUCH rain.
I often comment to the G.o. who frequently gives me The Look when he perceives I have too many things on the go, that I am working in circular motion, it will all come together in the end… and it does.
What a great memory about the lamp posts. That asparagus looks AMAZING! My husband cooks, too, and I love it.
That was a good comment earlier, your Mom was doing interval training before it was invented as an exercise. I like that.
My spouse does the cooking and very well indeed, he’d love to have some of that asparagus. His son became a chef, so it runs in the family, all his kids cook well. I can and occasionally do cook, but prefer to bake once in awhile. The standing is not something I can do much of anymore.
We had a lot of lightning last night, not much thunder so it was distant and not much rain either. Stay dry, looks like more rain over the coming week.
The ducks must be delighted with all the puddles!
You have such great ideas for getting the most out of your day, C! (Always have wondered how on earth you managed it all:) so thanks for sharing this suggestion in particular… (‘Cause not stopping for a timely rest has often been my downfall, now that you’ve got me thinking about it:/) and totally love the lamppost analogy, it’s such a great visual: )
How wonderful that John has taken up the meal creation and what an attractive table setting!
Wise Mum!! That green color the skies get before a storm is so ominous! I would love to come for supper for corn muffins and fresh asparagus!!