DRILLING!

By Ria North HSLINKS@gmail.com

I think we have lost many things that used to be part of a women's everyday life. Primarily, the backyard, next door, over the fence friend. The friend next door, that you used to talk to while hanging wash. Those days when you are ready to pull your hair out and go to the fence to talk to your friend. When you need someone else who has been there, done that and has the t-shirt to help you through whatever is going on in your life. I believe that as women we need that contact with others. ~~~ Ria's musings

Drilling is a way to have friends and be able to complete your various projects or goals. It helps me stay on track with organization, to complete household projects and cleaning in my life. More importantly because I am talking to adults vs kids all day, I don't ask my husband, "do you need to potty?" before leaving out the door.

First you need a drill buddy, who wants to clean, finish projects, complete some crafts, get moving on paperwork or just about anything else. Drilling is not limited to just cleaning, some have completed socks for presents, others are working on editing, painting etc.

This can be anyone on the yahoo messenger list. Conference will NOT work from web.

If you do not have Yahoo messenger you will need to get it.

Try: messenger.yahoo.com/ OR messenger.yahoo.com/download

A drill team starts when someone opens a conference room up (aka DRILL PARTY). Here's how to start a DRILL PARTY:

Log in to Yahoo! Messenger. Look at your IM list, anyone from your drill list? If so you can IM them & ask if they want to come to the Drill Party if so then under the ACTION button on the toolbar click "invite to conference" it's down at the bottom. That's how easy it is to open the conference.

You can also do a cold invite (one in which you have not talked via IM first) Look at your IM list, anyone from your drill list? Then in the IM toolbar under the ACTION button, click on "Invite to Conference" it's the last one on list.

A drill team of 6-8 is reasonable, and even two can make a team. Chances are once you have the conference open, others further west of you will be soon joining.

Drill party members can invite anyone from their IM list to the party by using the Conference button (top L on toolbar), click "invite more people". Then use the "add' button to send out the invitation. I like to change out the message to DRILL PARTY! wanna play? but you can leave as is.

Its only polite to let everyone know if you have a newbie so they can take time to talk her through the process.

All members should be positive and encouraging toward finishing the tasks or projects. You are there to encourage each other and celebrate what you have accomplished. As friends you may chit chat about recipes or ideas to tackle a messy kid’s room. Sometimes it can be dealing with health issues or other sensitive topics.

Drilling is meant to be fun and to be a positive force.

The conference stays open throughout the whole drilling session. Many times the conference can be started by someone on the east coast and closed down late at night by a west coaster

Repeat, repeat, repeat! Drill parties may last all day, or for only a portion. It is up to you!

A drill mom (DM) or drill Sergeant, can be anyone on the drill team. If you are getting off task they keep you in line.

Drill mom comments are usually in bright pink so it shows up.

IT’S SIMPLE

Each member signs in, says hello, and posts their TO DO list. Sometimes we are all working on more or less the same thing, other times we are completely different but are all checking back in to get our "atta girls".

Posting your TO DO list gives you something to strive to finish, your list should only be what you can complete in a session. Each session is usually 30 mins, but sometimes we run 45 or an hour. Occasionally someone will issue a 15 min challenge to get something specific done.

After posting your TO DO list, off you go to achieve your list. Check in on the :30 or whenever the time has been agreed upon.

Then a break for about 15 mins. During this time is when you post your TA DAs, chit chat and back to work.

Sometimes a member might present a challenge. Challenges are usually 15 mins and are a specific task. It could be work on desk, bedroom or even chase cobwebs & dust ceiling fans for 15 mins. Sometimes challenges are doing your "I HATE --" task.

THINGS THAT HELP MAKE DRILLING MORE EFFECTIVE

TO DO list: Many times there is something on someone’s list that reminds us that we, too need to do that. For me, it's usually remembering to eat!

I have my list broke down into about 30 mins sections, if you break them into 30 mins or so sections they are not as overwhelming. Only post what could be done in the time alloted. This will help you stay on track, and help you come back into focus when you fall off track. One of the most satisfying things to do in cleaning is to cross off one more TO DO, or better yet, transfer it to the TA DA column on your paper.

TO DO LIST (non-routine). I put my non-routine stuff on the computer in notepad, easy to click copy to the IM and I can delete off the list as it's done.

TO DO LIST (morning routine). My morning routine I have in a form on desktop with a check off - I check off & at end of day when I close it, it asks if I want to save and I say NO, this way the form is clean the next day.

• WORK- at your own pace! Everything you manage to get done is a positive!
• NON-CLEANING: It doesn't have to be cleaning. You can work on anything you need to get done. Last year I drilled with a buddy who wanted to get socks knitted for Christmas gifts!
• APRONS – An apron can be very helpful when cleaning. It must have pockets. This can be a real apron or a nail bag from local hardware store (1/2 apron with pockets). Aprons can be great for holding dust cloths, spray bottles and a handy place to put pocket change or other little things you find as you clean.
• TIMER - having a timer means you don’t waste time looking for a clock in rooms without one. In the kitchen, it is easy to use the stove timer.
• PEDOMETER - get a cheap one and track your steps (Dollar Tree used to carry cheapies). It is a “twofer”: exercise & cleaning. You'll be amazed at how many steps you do drilling versus a regular day
• ZIPLOC BAGS –Quart sized freezer bags fit in your apron pocket for small items you want to separate. Gallon bags are great for important papers so they don’t get mixed in with other less important papers.
• SORTING BINS - these can be dish pans, tomato boxes, or even laundry hampers. The containers are filled with items that do not belong in the room you are cleaning. (Like paperwork in your kitchen, when it should be in the den)

These can be used for kid items that don't belong, place the bin on stairs/hall on the way to their room. If you want to be tough, you can institute a “put it away or I will donate the whole bin” philosophy. The bin could also go into Toy Jail for a specified time.

I use dish pans because they are easy to carry, and won't get super heavy. More importantly, the items can be put away fairly quickly. At times, you may use something larger like laundry hampers or banana boxes when sorting bulky items such as separating clothes and linens.

Boxes can be found at your local grocery for free, which makes the cheapskate in you very happy.

• FILE FOLDERS & MARKERS – Use these to sort rough sort papers. *use recycled file folders or save giant manila envelopes - it doesn’t have to be pretty.
• COLOUR CODE FILES: I use green marker/highlighter along the edge of a folder for BILLS - all bills or anything to do with bills goes in here.

I use the kids favorite colors to mark a file for their paper work, ditto dh, pets etc. I actually have invested in the heavy plastic file folders for my desk . My file folders live next to the monitor.

PROBLEMS:

• MAIL - NEVER NEVER bring mail into the house unsorted! While walking in, sort the mail. Dump the junk mail, tear open bills, and discard the envelopes and other unnecessary stuff. Get a hanging file folder or pocket type folder for spouse's mail and toss his in there. Now it is his problem! Immediately file bills where you normally take care of important financial items.
• I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START - MY HOUSE IS A MESS: this is where having a drill buddy helps. Most of us have been at that place and are digging ourselves slowly out of that.
• “I HATE” sections: Some of us have a huge mess and have been avoiding certain areas. (Some have whole rooms of I HATE sections!) On the list, put down 15 minutes working on the dining room table or 15 minutes on the living room. It is a small time period, but it’s more than nothing, and I usually end up doing more than the 15 minutes once I get started.
• CONTROL JOURNAL/HOUSEHOLD NOTEBOOK: Keep a notebook. You can reduce most paper clutter by using an office notebook -- the perfect place for writing daily or weekly to-do lists, jotting down phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and generally staying on top of life's details. Even better: Keep it all in your computer! The new Netbooks are popular because they are small and can fit into your purse and utilize a word processing program and internet access.

Are you ready to DRILL?

Ready, Set, GO !!