Friday, May 17, 2013

Avoidance

Andrei is up grading students' work and David is between coughing fits (sleeping), so I guess I get to go to bed finish kitchen clean-up do a little blogging!

Do you ever analyze why you have trouble meeting certain goals? What gets in your way? The other day I was thinking about my household chores and wondering why I just can't get around to doing the floors. The kitchen floor gets sprayed with baby food daily and it just gets a little swipe with a rag, but I rarely do the whole floor.

What gets in my way? Honestly, I always feel like I should vacuum before washing the floor, and that means dragging the vacuum out. Which means the baby has to be cared for during that time period. And then I have to have the actual mopping supplies on hand. And before vacuuming I should do the dusting, right? It's not that the actual task of mopping the floor is hard, it's just that I have to FACILITATE the event actually taking place. I have to figure out what steps might lead up to my actually taking the desired action.

And then I wondered what else I could accomplish the same way. For example, why don't I read my Bible more? Well, I can never decide on a translation, and then I wanted to read the Russian translation, but I lost my copy, so I can only read the full version on my computer, or borrow Andrei's. And then I have to lug my computer around from room to room, and if David is awake then he'll want to come play with the computer. I suppose I could keep a Bible/notebook/pen in each room of the house, just to make sure it happens. Clearly, I need a system.

We will always have our vices to struggle with, but we can make it easier to come out on top.

A few things I've implemented:

-if I put my vitamins on the kitchen table, I'm more likely to remember to take them
-if I cut up fruits/veggies into cute/bite-sized pieces, I'm more likely to eat them instead of junkfood
-if I have a rag/other cleaning supplies within arms' reach, I'm more likely to take a few minutes to do a really quick dusting/mirror shining/whatever.
-same goes for making reading material available!

The only problem is that this system requires having stuff "out," which doesn't always work well with tidyness. Hmmm.


What works for you?

2 comments:

  1. What a SUPER post! I probably have a few things that work, but for the bathroom, one is keeping paper towels and windex in there. AND, a broom and dustpan. I do the floors (kitchen and bathroom) by sweeping, and then doing the rest on my hands and knees. Then I feel it is really clean - and it doesn't take that long. In the kitchen I use a scrub rag, and in the bathroom I use the papertowel - and I don't know why the difference! I guess I somehow feel the bathroom dirt is grosser.

    We do the vitamins on the table, too! And, when I force myself to cut up the fruits and vegetables - I do eat them - you're right!



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    Replies
    1. There are times I'm thankful for a small bathroom! :) I do the hands and knees too for the most part; the mop always makes me feel like a klutz.

      I recently discovered that I have a micro-fiber cloth for glass-cleaning. No Windex required, but it does take a bit of elbow grease.

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