Sweating the Small Stuff: A Seven-Step Program

A Mother’s Wisdom #2

Sweating the small stuff…

We all do it, regardless of the common warning. Often life’s minor demands are the ones that make us the most bonkers, threatening our inner peace and mental health. How should you deal with it? In the most direct manner, of course. If that sounds too much like your mother’s philosophy, adopt car talk and term this approach “full throttle,” or sports speak to label it “Straight up the middle,” or use the warfare approach with “front, and center, soldier!”

Like a bad dream, small tasks, especially those that involve cleaning, (i.e. your microwave with dried black remnants of last spring’s exploding burrito) can seem horribly frightening, but in reality are pretty easily remedied.

Here’s a streamlined approach:

1. Make a list! Appropriate items might be taking out the trash, or cleaning your closet. Personal hygiene activities do NOT belong on the list! Obsessive compulsives, do not spend more than three minutes making this list. Really. Time yourself. The only rule is that you must brainstorm at least three items. Hey, that’s one per minute. You can do this.

2. Spend one minute to prioritize the jobs. While one would hope you could accomplish all three jobs, be sure to place the one most needed at the top. To determine hierarchy, you could apply the sniff test or the my-hand-sticks-to-that test; the most rank item wins.

3. Spend one minute gathering tools you’ll need—rags, buckets, steel wool, tire jack, paper towels, spray cleaners, trash bags, goggles, etc. And don’t forget to wear shoes to prevent the most common injuries occurring during small stuff work. If you have no idea how to tackle your task, check the Web or maybe some how-to books at your local library. Remember the library from days of old? It’s still free. You do need to know things like don’t flush drain cleaner and ammonia at the same time. And don’t sniff the ammonia either. Really.

4. Turn on music to work by. Be aware that R&B may induce slower work movements than hard rock or grunge. Personal rhythm is a sacred thing. By all means, sing along, especially if your head is stuck in the frig or shower. The effect will be maximized.

5. Limit to a reasonable length time allowed to complete the job. After all, we’re talking about small stuff. After ten minutes, enjoy a two-minute sit-on-the-floor-and-breathe-deeply break. Take yourself to that proverbial happy place. Think of your first girlfriend or boyfriend, but only if you’re over 25. If you’re under 25, you run the risk of a painful experience and should probably think instead about your favorite scene from Napoleon Dynamite.

6. Remember to incorporate enough time to clean up. Keep a lined trash can or trash bag close at hand. Don’t try to toss nasty stuff from afar. The splat on the floor may briefly satisfy, but then you have to clean that up, too.

7. Cross that chore off your list. Use a red pen or a yellow marker. Really. The act will prove quite satisfying and satisfaction helps promote mental stability.

Above all remember not to sweat. It’s just small stuff.

- Virginia Brackett, BSMT, Ph.D.
[tags] small stuff, getting to done, chores, how to [/tags]