Since most of us are under a mandatory stay-order, I wonder how many are having a problem with their routines. I sure am. The stay-order has, most unforgivably, thrown me into a tailspin of sorts. I still get out of bed and shuffle to the coffee station just off the kitchen — a K-Cup coffee for me and a brewed pot for my husband. Sometimes I'll make myself a keto coffee, but I don't know why. I don't follow keto anymore (I need my personal cook to be living with me again). Anyway, I get coffee, watch a little TV and walk up the stairs to my office. From there, it's anything goes. These last two weeks have been rough.
But today, I did something different. I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and cleaned up the kitchen. I filled my sinks with steaming hot water and added Clorox bleach to them. I let them sit for two hours and voila, they're sparkling clean. Who doesn't love a shiny clean sink? ANYHOO, doing this always makes me think of two people: My sister, and The Fly Lady.
Who has heard of The Fly Lady If you haven't, visit her website—lots of tips there. When the economy tanked in 2008, I found myself with too much time on my hands; my sister told me about The Fly Lady. One of the many takeaways I learned from The Fly Lady was something she calls Shiny Sink 101, and I still do this 12 years later. It feels like I'm wrapping up the week, and I'm ready to start a new week fresh and revived. I know, it's just a sink, but it does make me feel better.
Then I remembered something I stumbled on not too long ago. It's called Five Evening Habits That Make Tomorrow Amazing by Mel Robbins. And who doesn't love Mel Robbins? Although I do not watch her show. Daytime TV is ..... awful.
What is her first step to making tomorrow amazing? Empty the sinks and clear the counters! However, I'm sure it doesn't matter what order you do them in, but doing them does help. But, full transparency here, I don't do all of them. And especially now, thank you, Corona, you B-word, I feel like I'm overachieving if I do even one. Here is a link to Mel's to the PDF if you want a copy for yourself. A simple Google search will return hundreds of lists for productivity and efficiency. Mel's list is good, but it is not the end-all-be-all. Find the one that works best for you. If you want a recommendation on productivity books, I highly suggest reading Getting Things Done; the art of stress-free productivity. I was lucky enough to attend one of his workshops years and years ago, and to this day, I still believe it was the best workshop I have ever attended.
The point I am trying to make is this: to be productive, you must set yourself up for it. It sounds so obvious but, seeing in and black and white, then saying it out loud can make all the difference. And getting dressed and bleaching the sink is a great start. I didn't plan on doing a blog entry today but see? I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and poof! Blog entry!
Now, go slay the day and kick this Rona's ass!!!
I recently spent some time in our public library and saw a few displays announcing this as Mental Health week. It got me thinking about my mental health and what makes me turn a corner and makes me feel better. And believe it or not, being organized does it for me.
I have seen first-hand how it helps my clients feel when all the work has been done and they can walk into their space and find something right away. Or not dread walking into their kitchen to see everything in disarray.
However, it’s more than just finding something on the first try or the absence of stress. The long-term effects of being, and staying, organized can boost your self-confidence, save you time, and even help you sleep better. Your environment has a direct impact on your mental health.
I once saw a sign that read “Tidy Room. Tidy Mind”. I believe that to be very true. It’s as if decluttering your space also declutters your mind and you are able to think clearer. Fall asleep quicker and much sounder. And your stress decreases. When all of these things happen, you become healthier physically and mentally. There are many studies that show the positive effects of being organized.
It’s not something that needs to be done in one day. But over the course of a few days a room can be tackled and be whipped into shape to help you get on the road to better mental health.
