Nony here: I LOVE this real life example of the effect of breaking through delusions by using a timer! A reader shares her real-life results when timing herself while doing daily tasks. Don’t stop reading until the end. The magic happens on Day Two. (Just like it always does with the daily tasks that haven’t been daily in a while!)
You say to time yourself just to see how long it takes to do a chore. I decided to time myself sweeping the floor.It took about 13:30 from start to finish. (I could have been faster but I stopped to care for kids a couple times so it was more like 10-11 mins.)
1) Before2) Everything swept into a pile3) I have a large open wood floor and I have found sweeping everything into one large pile and then putting the stuff away is easiest for me, otherwise I am running all over the floor picking up random stuff and it just makes me dizzy4) After I put the stuff away and just left with trash and the after5) Upon seeing the after I decided to do a 5 min pickup for my counter…still messy but better.You are an inspiration to me. I am getting consistent with my dishes so this week I am adding sweeping my floor. I am teaching myself routine!! THANK YOU!!!
And look what happened when she carried through with Day Two:
Yesterday I sent you an email about timing myself sweeping my kitchen/Dining Room. Yesterday it took me around 13 minutes to sweep, put away all the stuff I had swept into a pile and sweep up the actual trash/dirt and throw it away.Jump forward to today I swept again and timed myself again and would you believe it, it only took 5 minutes!! That included stopping and talking to my daughter for like 30 seconds. It does get easier.So far I am doing my dishes and I am sweeping my floor. I was having a really hard time with my dishes until I started loading it throughout the day, now my dishes seem to be doing themselves!! (if only)I think my next habit will still be in my kitchen area (I have a great room so kitchen, dining and family room all in one). I think It will be clearing my counters and table daily, but first I need to get used to sweeping everyday!
Timing opened my eyes too. Five minutes is all it takes me to wipe down both bathrooms if I do it daily–seven, if I do the floors also. It changed the way I think about starting the job!
The 1 time I timed myself, I was shocked how little time it takes to do something, vs the huge scenario I have built up in my mind!
need to do this
just haven’t got around to it like for years
Thanks again to you and also this lovely person. Seeing these photos is SO helpful to me. I’m not alone! I can do this!
I love the timing concept. I need to start doing that with my bathrooms. Remember when you made your own rag wipes in like a cool whip container? Where is that post? I think that would help me to get it done.
Yes, I am 100% doing the sweep it all up in a big pile method next time!
We have a walk in kitchen which simply means that the dining room/family room is attached to a tiny baby area that has the kitchen appliances in it. But tiny kitchen means less to clean, right?
I like the Sweep it into a Pile Method, too, and I will try it.. Usually, I get distracted putting things away one thing at a time and don’t finish the sweeping.