but I am sorely lacking in motivation to just tackle *something*. Sometimes having too much to do can paralyze me into doing nothing at all. How about you?
In the past I have noted that motivation has come from:
1.the impending visit of Houseguests
2.the embarrassment of someone unexpectedly dropping by and witnessing me lolling about in my squalor.
3.the desire to bring a vision to fruition. (This is how we got an entire (large) kitchen repainted (along with the furniture therein) and re-decorated in the space of a couple of days. And by we I mean mostly my husband. Who is motivated by me telling him to do things. I am impatient when it comes to fruition. (Actually, I am impatient when it comes to pretty much anything).
So my problem today is:
1. No impending houseguests
2. It's not that squalid, and there are things beside housecleaning on the list.
3. I already know what a clean bathroom looks like. No frenzied excitement driving me to see the end result there.
A few tactics which may (or may not) have worked for me in the past include:
1. Blasting music and putting on my tennis shoes. (this fools me into thinking I should be moving-I am quite easily fooled.)
2. Giving myself a scathing lecture and telling me to just get up right now this instant young lady.
3.Getting on the phone and chatting my way through a pile of laundry.
4.Setting a timer. "You can do anything for 15 minutes"
5. Putting the list in a prominent spot and crossing things off as I accomplish them.
And if you think I don't put the stuff I have already accomplished on that list, then you are sadly mistaken. I am not above sticking , "get out of bed", "brush teeth" on the list if it means I get to put a little precise check mark next to it. (Or Tick, as we say in South Africa). I really have a lovely little check mark(tick) if I do say so myself.
6. Taking a nap.
Ok.... one of those things is not like the others..hmmm...let's call it a freudian slip shall we?
But wait! I just spotted a job that will be easy and make a big visual impact, and as you know I am all about the big visual impact....(ohhhh shiny!) It involves a large, luridly coloured rubbermaid tub (the lurid colours were on sale) and putting things in that big tub, and then...! Putting a lid on that big tub! I can do this. I can.DO. this. And just like that..she is inspired..she is motivated! She is OFF....Tra laaaaaaaa.....
Later.. (or until the big tub is full).
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8 comments:
My best (and seemingly only) way to get me off my lazy duff and clean my house .... invite someone over for dinner. Really, that's the only way for me. I didn't use to be like this I wonder what happened? Oh yes, a toddler in the house. :)
Good luck with your list. Mine too is a million miles long and I really really need to start working on it. Hmmmm, soon.
Cheers, Kiy
I love the title of this post - I've been around for 2 different Ikea Grand Openings! Yikes! Anyways, I drink some Crystal Light, we turn on music, and then I fold the laundry, or whatever the chore du jour is.
by the way - I used your program for my run this morning and loved it! Thanks
yea...i usually plan a party at my house or invite peeps for dinner. or my sister and i lament about our lists together over the phone and then check in with each other to try to outbeat each other.... a little competition helps to motivate!
and for the lemon amish bread.....delete the cinnamon and swap out the vanilla pudding for lemon pudding. then i just make a little lemon/powedered sugar glaze for the top. although i have been known to make a little lemony glaze even though i have nothing to drizzle it on...except my finger and then lick profusely!
If I write a blog post about how big and bad my list is, and how unmotivated I am, that usually shames me into it. ;-)That and a to do list with lots of "ticks" (eat breakfast, brush teeth, bake cookies, eat cookies, hide evidence...
Fail-proof for me to get my bum in gear to clean the house for no special reason:
The internet is down.
Okay, my motivating thought might sound bizarre...but here it is. I think about what it'd be like if we had to move this week. Is my house put together enough that someone could go into a room and pack it up and know that room A in this house would go into room A of the new house? If not, everything needs to get back into its place. :) Now, I don't have this thought that often...but it's helpful.
What motivates me...um, some loud music or a funny film I've seen a million times in the background (National Lampoon's Vacation, Animal House, Stripes - oh dear, I see a pattern!) and proving to my husband that I actually don't watch soaps and eat bon-bons all day. And guilt. Guilt is great!
I put it in my daily routine.
That doesn't always work.
So I also try to use it as an unschooling device.
That doesn't always work either.
So I will also call my best friend and complain to her the ENTIRE time I am cleaning my house.
By this time something has usually worked-but not always. If it doesn't work I just wait for someone to come by and shame me into cleaning.
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