When my children were small I would tell them to go clean their room, and most people know how that works. I would find them sitting on the floor playing or my oldest laying on his bed reading.
I realised I was the same about cleaning the house. I found something else I ‘could do’ instead of cleaning up after the ‘we did’ activities. The same thing happened for me that happened for my children, overwhelm, no idea where to start.
It did not help that I would start something and I saw something else I needed to do. This put something else I needed to do in my vision. I would go to that and… and… and… and… at the end I started 10 things and maybe almost finished 1. Would be super busy and achieve little.
When my mum would visit and she would say ‘where do you want this?’. I would get back in focus of what I was doing. When she saw me get side-tracked, she would bring me something and say ‘where would you like me to put this?’. I would go back to where she stayed and in no time the room was finished. It worked a treat.
No matter how much ‘wishful thinking’ I mustered up, I still did not manage to do what I could when she was here.
One day an older lady asked if I knew of the 5 rule. Of course I had not. Have you?
The “5 Rule” looks like this:
~ Enter an area, see 5 things (regardless of how small) pick them up and put them away — even if you have to move something else to put it away and do it.
~ You step back, close your eyes, open them and see 5 things you can put away or in the bin, pick them up and do it.
~ Rinse and repeat!
It is soooo easy to see 5 things and know right now that is all my responsibility is. Simple. Quick. Achievable. The “I can do that” brings its own rewards. Nothing like the “I just did that” feeling, but close.
This is what I taught the youngin’s. At first they picked up 5 things. Then they would see how fast they could do 5 things. Then they would surprise me and say ‘Haha tricked you I did 10 or 9 or 20’.
That is where I got to too. Every time I looked at a space and overwhelm hit, I would go back to this.
The other 5 Rule I have initiated is this. If it takes less than or only 5 minutes it is a do it now. I once ignored some things because I would do it later/pick it up after/call later.
I learned it is ok to stop and do. It is ok to simply call someone and say ‘I am thinking of you, you matter, I will call you again when I have time to talk more’. Stick to it, mean it and watch how things change. For you and the other person.
This is precisely how I have tackled this amazing community at This That & Those. I did not look at ‘ALL’ of what is going on before me. I did not want to nor try to fix everything at one time.
The 5 rule here has been a little more fun and productive. I still do the original and have added to it. I now also have — has this thought or behaviour shown up 5 times today? Has this been something I have thought about 5 times this week? Is this not getting done going to impact 5 other areas of my life (family, work, business, peace, hope, calm, clarity, strangers, finances etc)?
Sometimes the answer I gave was no, I write it down and move on. Sometimes the answer has been bigger than I expected and really needs addressing now. Sometimes the answer is ‘not in the current budget’. This too gets written down and I move on. Peacefully.
Today I had a new thought. Intriguingly simple. Delightfully complex.
What would happen if I used a 1 rule? One thing. One task. One exercise. One strategy. All because 1 person is worth it. Sometimes that 1 person is you. Sometimes it is me.
What would happen if you were to implement a number rule? How would things change in your world?
Even if you don’t see it yet you are one amazing, delightful, valuable, important, much needed member of this world. The same for the world around you. You have so much to offer.
I believe in you. Thank you for stopping by and reading this post.
Have a delightfully beautiful, refreshing and sweetly memorable day.
Embrace the process — Enjoy the ride.
