Sore Throat

Well I have a sore throat and it isn't from a post nasal drip.  It is from yelling at my children, growling when I am really mad.  If you are a long time reader of this blog, you know I have oscillated back and forth with spanking.  In a long time attempt to not revert to old fashioned parenting that lacks imagination and thought, I have been left with yelling.  I HATE it!  Truly, I hate it everytime my temper gets out of control and I start screaming. 

The fast remains, I am not heard in this house and the boys have other things on their minds.  It will take them hours to do a task that should only take 5 minutes at best.  Is this a factor of boys or children in general? 

I sit and calmly explain, but that seems to go nowhere as my sore throat can attest.  I had visions of happily decorating our house today and making cookies.  It is not almost 4 pm and none of those things have happened yet, because they haven't done their parts... simple ones too, make bed, clean up the bedroom - which wasn't that dirty to begin with just some picking up really. 

I feel exhausted and upset and just plain worn out from their incessant playing and messing around.  How do I explain to them, that if you take 5 good minutes to do your task, then you can play and do what you want?