Anita Mathias: Dreaming Beneath the Spires

Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art

  • Home
  • My Books
  • Meditations
  • Essays
  • Contact
  • About Me

The Pomodoro Technique, Decluttering, and Progress on New Year’s Goals, Week #5

By Anita Mathias

Looking across the Avon from the RSC, Stratfrord.

Looking across the Avon from the RSC, Stratfrord.

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford  Upon Avon

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford Upon Avon

Swans on the Avon

Swans on the Avon

Amaryllis

Amaryllis in bloom

I’ve experimented with the Pomodoro technique, and think it, more or less. suits me. It’s a way of keeping focused and averting distraction by working in an absolutely focused way for 25 minutes, and then taking a 5 minute break (to tidy, do weights, stretch or do yoga etc.) After 4 pomodoros, you take a twenty minute break.

It works well for me, because I got to garden during my 20 minute breaks for the first time this year, and also because the rooms I work in became incrementally tidier because I tidy up during my 5 minute break. Also, I get perspective on what I am writing, and feel fitter and more oxygenated. And one’s metabolism improves.

I hope to build in weights and yoga during my 5 minute breaks.

A major negative is that it introduces a distraction every 5 minutes, but one hopes an oxygenated, stretched body will be able to concentrate for longer.

* * *

I do a weekly blog-post on how I am doing with my New Year’s Goals, largely to keep myself accountable.

The nature of the beast, is that there will be spectacular weeks and ho-hum, failure-ish weeks. This was the latter.

Accountability on a blog is a powerful thing, what blogger Tim Challies calls Accountability Through Visibility. And for accountability to inspire you, and, well, keep you accountable, you have to be honest about your failures—and successes.

Bad weeks are par for the course. Here’s an early Christian story

A monk looking for some guidance and encouragement goes to Abba Sisoius and asks:
“What am I to do since I have fallen?”
The Abba replies: “Get up.”
“I did get up, but I fell again.”
“Get up again.”
“I did, but I must admit that I fell once again. So what should I do?”
“Do not fall down without getting back up.”

Anyway, here goes.

1 First Things First

Roy and I had got out of the habit of date nights or focused talk, so we had a very focused talk last evening on contentious topics. So contentious that we often had to follow the rule each person gets 2 minutes on a timer with no interruptions!! But we worked out an excellent, viable schedule for Roy, and cleared the air!

And had a couple of gorgeous family dates—watching Murray Watts ‎“Mr. Darwin’s Tree,” acted by Andrew Harrison–a sort of memoir of Darwin, in the form of a monologue. Verbally rich, poetic, bursting with energy, brilliantly acted. Loved it!

And a day at Stratford-on-Avon watching The Winter’s Tale, that bitter-sweet story of jealousy, madness and restoration. Loved the walk by the river Avon afterwards, looking at the crimson skies.

And spent a few hours over lunch with Reverend Lesley and Alan at their spacious Vicarage.

So not stacks of writing done.

2 Writing

Finished a little book I am planning to self-publish after an additional four revisions. And blogged.

“I still don’t get why people are so surprised that the turtle beat the rabbit over the long run. Consistent effort, no matter how small, sparks magic, fills sails, butters bread, turns tides, instills faith, summons friends, improves health, burns calories, creates abundance, yields clarity, builds courage, spins planets, and rewrites destinies.”

 

Time/week
Dec. avg. Goal: Jan 28 Achieved Goal: Feb 4 Goal – year end
Writing 7h 10 min  10 hours  7 hrs 40 m  9 hrs 35h
Social media 11h 17 min  3 hrs30 min  5 hours 30  3 hours 30 3h 30min
News, Blogs, Magazines 5h 21 min  3 hours30 min  4 hrs 13  3 hours 30  3 hours

And here’s how I felt this week

Spiritual Gimmes: The Prayer of Bankruptcy

And

R.I.P. Buttercup Duck and Accepting Your Actual Life

And here’s what inspired me

Les Miserables: The Film Akin to a Spiritual Experience

3 Fitness and Weight


I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau

Got back into walking after a slowdown caused by two weeks of ice and snow.

Week of Goal Actually done
(km) (km)
Jan-07 29.6
Jan-14 33.6 Ice 13.6
Jan-21 14.96 snow 16.4
Jan-28 19.69        23.36
Feb-4        25.69

Weight—A week in which I slipped up, dealing with stress with chocolate, cheesecake, icecream and crisps instead of prayer and exercise. Sorry, Jesus!

But now it’s a new week—and with God’s grace, I will rely on God’s power more, and lean more, and abide more.

A cumulative loss of 5 pounds this year.

 4 Domestic Order

Some before pictures of bookshelves to work on this week, and my closet

1-DSCN6115_cropped

 

 

2-DSCN6132Well, thanks to walking was able to fit into some cords and jeans just when I was about to give them away. Tidied two dressers and one tallboy. Gave away some books, and gave or threw away 3 pairs of sweats and trousers!

Sorting out my clothes took a while, and I may or may not recover the time. However, it will be easier to find matching clothes when I go out, and so perhaps I will find it easier to be on time. And every area of your house you tidy sort of makes it easier to keep the rest tidy—less of the broken window effect.

I have decided to be minimalist and only wear my favourite colours–red, purple (and colours in between such as cranberry, crimson and burgundy) and peacock blue and stop buying and get rid of other colours. So with some wardrobe staples of black and white cords, turtlenecks and blue jeans matching will no longer be a problem, and I will also get by with fewer clothes.

 And here’s the result of a hard day’s work organizing my dressers and an empty bookshelf

 

BEFORE- some empty

BEFORE- some empty

 

AFTER

 

Before pictures of my clothes drawers

04-DSCN6073_edited 02-DSCN6071_edited 01-DSCN6070-edit 11-DSCN6080_edited 10-DSCN6079_edited 09-DSCN6078_edited 08-DSCN6077_edited 06-DSCN6075_edited 05-DSCN6074_edited

03-DSCN6072_edited07-DSCN6076_edited

AFTER reorganizing and giving away some:

DSCN6133_cropped DSCN6136_cropped DSCN6135_cropped DSCN6134_cropped 14-DSCN6131 13-DSCN6130 12-DSCN6129 05-DSCN6122 08-DSCN6125 06-DSCN6123


Read my new memoir: Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India (US) or UK.
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitamathiaswriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anita.mathias/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnitaMathias1
My book of essays: Wandering Between Two Worlds (US) or UK

View our Privacy Policy.

More from my site

  • Images and Magic Moments  from my trip to Cambodia with TearfundImages and Magic Moments  from my trip to Cambodia with Tearfund
  • Strictly Come Dancing, Chez MathiasStrictly Come Dancing, Chez Mathias
  • Why do I Blog? Reflections and Resolutions.Why do I Blog? Reflections and Resolutions.
  • E J H Nash, the Man who Converted Justin Welby, Nicky Gumbel, John Stott, David Watson and Michael GreenE J H Nash, the Man who Converted Justin Welby, Nicky Gumbel, John Stott, David Watson and Michael Green
  • The Poet, the Albatross and the ChristianThe Poet, the Albatross and the Christian

Filed Under: random

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Comments

  1. Kime says

    February 12, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    there is game based on pomodoro technique makes it  more fun 

  2. Penelope Swithinbank says

    February 8, 2013 at 5:48 pm

    Impressive, Anita! Well done. And I am sure I have spotted one of my sweaters on your stack … will have to take photo to prove it!

    • Anita Mathias says

      February 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm

      Decluttering my house is a 52 week project. 47 weeks to go, but I’ve started with the worst areas! 🙂

  3. Richard says

    February 7, 2013 at 6:52 am

    Pomodoro Technique – something I may well give a try.
    As for the your writing – easy on my mind. Thank you.
     

    • Anita Mathias says

      February 8, 2013 at 6:59 pm

      Thank you so much, Richard. Let me know how you do with Pomodoro. It’s good for me as I’m naturally very sedentary!

Sign Up and Get a Free eBook!

Sign up to be emailed my blog posts (one a week) and get the ebook of "Holy Ground," my account of working with Mother Teresa.

Join 542 Other Readers

My Books

Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India

Rosaries, Reading Secrets, B&N
USA

UK

Wandering Between Two Worlds: Essays on Faith and Art

Wandering Between Two Worlds
USA

UK

Francesco, Artist of Florence: The Man Who Gave Too Much

Francesco, Artist of Florence
US

UK

The Story of Dirk Willems

The Story of Dirk Willems
US

UK

My Latest Meditation

Anita Mathias: About Me

Anita Mathias

Read my blog on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter

Follow @anitamathias1

Recent Posts

  • The Kingdom of God is Here Already, Yet Not Yet Here
  • All Those Who Exalt Themselves Will Be Humbled & the Humble Will Be Exalted
  • Christ’s Great Golden Triad to Guide Our Actions and Decisions
  • How Jesus Dealt With Hostility and Enemies
  • Do Not Be Afraid, but Do Be Prudent
  • For Scoundrels, Scallywags, and Rascals—Christ Came
  • How to Lead an Extremely Significant Life
  • Don’t Walk Away From Jesus, but if You Do, He Still Looks at You and Loves You
  • How to Find the Freedom of Forgiveness
  • The Silver Coin in the Mouth of a Fish. Never Underestimate God!
Premier Digital Awards 2015 - Finalist - Blogger of the year
Runner Up Christian Media Awards 2014 - Tweeter of the year

Categories

What I’m Reading


Practicing the Way
John Mark Comer

Practicing the Way --  Amazon.com
Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Olive Kitteridge
Elizabeth Strout

Olive Kitteridge --  Amazon.com
Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

The Long Loneliness:
The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist
Dorothy Day

The Long Loneliness --  Amazon.com
Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry:
How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world
John Mark Comer

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry --  Amazon.com
Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Country Girl
Edna O'Brien

Country Girl  - Amazon.com
Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Archive by month

My Latest Five Podcast Meditations

INSTAGRAM

Follow on Instagram

© 2025 Dreaming Beneath the Spires · All Rights Reserved. · Cookie Policy · Privacy Policy

»
«