What happened to weeks 2, 3, 4 and 5? I had done week 2, but maybe not shared it.
There's more to each chapter than the bald suggestion; I find KDs additional ideas, suggestions on how to implement it, explanations and prompts very helpful.
Unsubscribe as you go - in other words, unsubscribe from newsletter type emails you are no longer interested in receiving as they come into your inbox. You know the sort of thing; 'subscribe to get 10% off'. Then it's everlasting special offers...
But as for weeks 3, 4 and 5...
'Write it down'; choose a single place for lists and things you want to remember - note book or phone app or whatever and stick to it.
'One task at a time'; quit multitasking - it isn't actually more efficient most of the time.
'Mute the background'; either you're watching it, or listening to it, ot you're not. Even if you think it's just in the background, the sounds/music/changes still grab our attention.
So I'm trying to catch up on these. Either I'm watching a programme or listening to sonething, or I switch it off (unless someone else wants to watch of). No more scrolling or reading or playing games at the same time. (The exceptions are straightforward knitting and simple sewing)
This week it is
'Declutter one surface that you see or use every day and commit to keepingit that way'. Was she reading my mind? I was getting close to The End Of My Tether because of four surfaces in particular.
The dining room table (perennial one, this). The last time I cleared it in a hurry, I should add, I did so by piling everything up on my worktable. So now neither were usable. The same could be said of my swivel table and footstool.
I'm now relaxing, with a pot of tea, in a glow of satisfaction and calm having cleated All Four Surfaces. I'm officially an over-achiever! It didn't take long. So why did I avoid doing it before, and will I be able to keep them clear (shaking my head)
These are the 'after' pictures.
Relaxing music
'Somewhere near Cluj' from the anthology Spectrum2,
I have cleared the dining table. We had a romantic meal without half the table covered in sewing stuff. I shall try to keep it that way ( with granddaughters here I won't have time to sew, snc we will need to set 4 places for meals anyway.i have three notebooks (general,craft and garden) and temporary notes go on my phone. I agree about knitting and sewing whilst watching TV. But can't even do them when involved in subtitled Eurocrime drama. Definitely less stressed than before retirement,when there were so many balls to juggle.
ReplyDeleteRetirement can so reduce stress!
DeleteSome good suggestions. The spot here that accumulates is the desk in the diningroom. I notice my girls leave their purses there when they come over and all the mail gets dumped there too. At least I do my best to keep the table clear of everything except a single plant in the middle.
ReplyDeleteI dream of having a clear table with just a plant in the middle; sounds like 'gracious living' to me!
DeleteClearing surfaces always settles my mind. And I'm becoming more and more convinced of the fallacy of multi-tasking. Doing one thing at a time works best for me.
ReplyDeleteYou manage to have lovely curated arrangements of objects and flowers. I seem to have 'surfaces with things on them', not the same at all!
DeleteMy disaster area is a small circular coffee table inherited from someone many years ago. It is always covered in piles of books to read, piles of books currently being read (I am always reading two or three books at one time), piles of unread newspapers, a box of tissues, my i-pad, at least one note book, usually a mug of tea or coffee, at least one pair of reading glasses, several pens, and currently a pot with an emerging hyacinth. Most other surfaces are clutter free so I feel I can indulge this rather overcrowded space. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteYour 'disaster area' sounds like the state of every surface in this house bar one!
DeleteThe only way I could ever manage to be clutter-free would be to have no horizontal surfaces in the house. Even then, I know every sitting place would be covered. I have fought for half a century clearing up after my husband. No more!
ReplyDeleteOne primary school locally installed lockers in the cloakroom for the children, with sloping tops!
DeleteI have just gone into my inbox and had a look at the subscriptions. There are loads of them! I could have sworn that I had got rid of the majority a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI blame AI.
DeleteFor everything!
Delete