I’m home alone for the first time in more than six weeks. You’d think I’d like the peace but in honesty I feel a bit sick.

It’s fair to say I prefer being with other people than my own company. My favourite people are back at school and work of course and for the first few days at least I’m sitting alone worrying about them and feeling insanely guilty.

What I need is structure. There are so many things I want to achieve but having no framework sends me wappy. Lists don’t really help as I just end up writing down the housework because this is the easiest stuff to do. The harder stuff, like setting and reaching for my own goals gets missed off the bottom “until I’ve got everything else sorted” because…well that’s self sabotage for you. If you don’t try you can’t fail right?

Today needs to be a good day so I’ve devised a structure:

9-9.30 Sort out kitchen, put some washing on and tidy up (it does still need to be done after all)

9.30-10.30 Join Slimming Club. Oh God I know, here we go again. But my self esteem is low and my clothes don’t fit me. Some of my friends are achieving great things on it so I’m giving it a go. I don’t normally blog when I’m trying to diet, usually because I know this means I can give up early without losing face. Not this time.

10.30-12 Research writing press releases and write catch up with some blog writing backlog about children’s books.

12-1 Lunch. If I give myself a reasonable lunchtime I’m hoping I’ll be less distracted by social media the rest of the time.

1-2 Pick up school uniform and do a few other jobs – How can my eldest have grown out of the trousers I bought her two weeks ago?

2-3 Edit a couple of chapters of a thing I’ve written, while drinking coffee

3-3.30 Music practice.

3.30 Pick up youngest daughter then wait anxiously for eldest daughter to come home

3.45-5 Spend time with the kids. Proper time.

5.30 Make dinner

In the evening we need to do some household stuff then it might feel like we can get on track for setting some family goals like saving for a holiday somewhere it isn’t raining.

Right on with the washing…