I had said last year that I was going to post about time-saving techniques whenever the inspiration hit me. Today's post is less about saving time and more about motivation.
For years, I absolutely hated to unload the dishwasher. Just dozens of items that need to be put back in their home - it seemed so tedious, and actually, I think it overwhelmed me a little. So instead of taking care of it as soon as they were cool enough to handle, I'd let the full dishwasher sit there for a day or more while dishes piled up on top of it. I knew it wasn't smart, but I couldn't seem to overcome myself to handle it more efficiently.
And then one day I happened to notice the time on my stove before I started and when I was done. 2 minutes. Good grief. All those years of letting this very minor chore get on top of me, when it literally took 2 minutes to accomplish. I can't claim I never procrastinate anymore, but nothing like I used to. Anytime I feel like groaning looking at it, I just tell myself - 2 stinkin minutes. It doesn't matter if you like it or not because it's such a quick thing to do that makes a huge difference in the overall state of the house. Because, you know, if your dishwasher is full, you don't even see the logic of bringing your dirty coffee cup in from the living room.
Since then, I've discovered that many, many household tasks take a fraction of the time my mind built them up to be. So if you've got that thing you hate to do, and you procrastinate way too long in doing, just time yourself. Maybe, like me, when you realize just how little time it takes, you'll have a better attitude about it.
I'm the same way about the dishwasher. I make it a game though - can I finish unloading the dishwasher before my husband gets home from work or before he finishes his beer? I've been doing this for 3 years now, and he still doesn't know we're competing ;)
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