It’s not easy being a human being in the 21st century. We all have screens and obligations that are screaming for our attention, that I’m convinced we all live in a quasi-permanent state of ADHD and choice paralysis.
Here are a few tried and true tricks that I’ve used to help keep the anxiety at bay long enough to get stuff done.
“12345” rule
Anytime I have to get up out of bed, or do something I’m really dreading (like putting away laundry, or sweeping the floor, or anything that involves movement, really), I do an ultra-fast countdown of 12345.
For some reason, my monkey brain loves this trick. If I don’t give myself a countdown, I know I’m going to allow myself to scroll through social media for “10 more minutes”, and then again, and again, and again. I know that once I begin the task and get my body moving, it becomes easier to do, but it’s the getting there that can be so difficult. Giving myself a five second head start is like setting a mental deadline that gets me up and moving.
“Might as well” rule
You have mo idea the quantifiable difference that the three words “might as well” have had on my life. Heading to the kitchen for a snack? Might as well take some mugs downstairs. Putting away laundry? Might as well tidy up some of the clothing clutter on the chair, too. Playing a mindless game on my phone? Might as well listen to an audiobook while I’m at it.
It’s a way to clean the house and multitask without it feeling like you’re adding to the burden, effectively creating a calm environment and building good habits toward a clutter-free space.
“Don’t put it down, put it away” rule
Tried on a shirt and didn’t feel it match your essence of the day? Don’t throw it on a chair – put it back! Tossed your keys on the table instead of the usual bowl you bought specifically so you wouldn’t lose your keys? Don’t put them down – put them away!
You see where this is going.
Clutter is really just the compounding interest of stuff. Every time you take something out, you incur a debt to Future You that you’ll have to put it back eventually. The good news is that while there’s always going to be cleaning to do, you can do Future You a solid by getting the small tasks out of the way as soon as they’re in your line of sight.
And that’s it! Do you have any mental life hacks that help you get through the day? I’d love to hear them! Email me at wildoutlier@gmail.com.