One secret to getting things done & creating better habits

photo by Scott Umstattd

Just decide it’s time to change.

Huh? You ask.

My good friend Tami, my college roommate, said this once (after she stopped smoking) and it really struck me:

A person can’t say they’ve tried to stop smoking for 3 years or 4 years. They just decide one day that they’re ready to stop and they stop. When they’re ready to quit, they quit.

And the same goes for getting organized.

When you’re ready, you’re ready.

When you’re ready, you’ll stop procrastinating, you’ll get organized, you’ll eat better, you’ll exercise, you’ll… [insert the habit] you’re wanting to stop (or start).

You either want it or you don’t.

You either find a compelling enough reason to motivate you or you don’t.

The dishes

There was a time about 10 years when I would walk into my kitchen and I would just get exhausted looking at the mound of dishes in the sink.

The more dishes there were, the more exhausted it made me feel.

So one day, after spending 45 minutes doing that mound of dishes... I just DECIDED that I didn't want to feel that way anymore.

I was ready to stop feeling overwhelmed every time I walked through my kitchen.

I decided that I would do the dishes right away, after every meal—so that they would never be overwhelming again.

And I kept that promise to myself.

And ya know what...?

Life has been so much easier since!

The dishes take 5 minutes instead of 45!

I can hear some of you out there saying, "But then I have to do dishes MORE OFTEN. Booo!"

Allow me to remind you of the benefits:

• It takes less time, not only because there are fewer dishes each time you do them… but because there are fewer dishes in your way to do—less mess, as the pile is not a huge mound that will fall over.

• And the best part... less STUCK on stuff.

• When you do the dishes after every meal, there's no time for the gunk to get stuck to the dishes, so there’s much less scrubbing.

Now, when I walk into my kitchen, the dishes are always done.

The sink is sparkling.

And my energy remains high.

There is no chore (like doing the dishes) hanging over my head, a thing undone.

And if you have a dishwasher—

Get outta here!! ;)

You have no excuse for not loading the dishwasher after every meal.

What’s that…? It’s because the dishwasher needs to be unloaded? you say?

Then, unload it! 🤪
haha

What is it for you?

Maybe dirty dishes aren’t your poison.

What is?

WHAT is it that YOU need to do to lower your stress levels?

And why are you not doing it yet?

Humor me:

Try your new desired habit for ONE FULL week and see if it changes your life in any way.

I bet ya it will lower your stress levels and make you feel accomplished!

Then, come back here and let us know in the comments below how this experiment went for you.

Remember. Baby steps. It just takes one small step after another to reach your goals of a clutter-free home and mind.

* * *

Want individual help managing your home, your time, and your MIND?

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