Of Monotony and To-do Lists by Konnie Enos

 

“I am done. I am so done.” Yes, I said that. Then I added, “Until tomorrow.”

I’d spent at least three hours doing some of my monthly paperwork which is dependent on us receiving money. Jerry had gotten his, but I had not, hence I wouldn’t be done until I received mine, today. Then again I’m never done because money is always going out and coming in.

I think my son put it perfectly, “No matter how often I do them, I’m still going to have to do chores. It never ends.”

I laughed. “Welcome to life.”

Yes, the dishes are always going to need doing. You’re still going to have to clean off tables, counters, and stove. You’re still going to have to collect the garbage and make sure it’s deposed of. You’re still going to have to sweep, mop (and vacuum, if you have rugs). There are still surfaces to dust and bathrooms to scrub. There are still clothes to get clean and meals to prepare. You also still have to shop, for groceries, cleaning supplies, and toiletries.

If you have pets, as we do, there is still feeding them, making sure they have ‘bathroom’ access (letting the dogs outside) and brushing them, bathing them, and taking care of their medical needs.

I’m sure my son considers bathing one of those chores he hates yet always has to do.

No matter what chore you manage to get done, it is still going to need to be done again. Maybe not the next day, but eventually. That is life.

Complaining isn’t going to change it. Living on your own isn’t either. No matter what you do in life, like it or not, there is going to these pesky tasks that must be done regularly and they’re never going to stop needing doing. Both chores and to-do lists are never-ending. There is always something else that needs doing.

In fact, in life, there are always tasks that must be repeated. Even at work. Whether you own the business or just have a job, there are tasks, no matter how mundane which has to be repeated often.

At this moment, I can’t think of any tasks which would never need to be done again as long as you’re alive. That is what life is. Some of those tasks are pleasant to do and some you’d rather avoid.

Then there are the tasks you can’t do, which still need doing. I can’t sweep or mop a floor. (I can walk, but being on my feet for that long kills my back due to breaking it nearly 50 years ago.)

I also detest scrubbing bathrooms, but someone has to do it.

While I don’t mind cooking, I hate having to always decide what gets cooked. I mean you have to when you live alone but in a family this size someone else can decide once in a while.

My son hates chores period. If he’s required to do it, then he’ll put it off until we start yelling at him, then he’ll complain the whole time he’s doing it. Though I think he likes complaining because he’s always doing it.

My husband just plain hates chores too because he does everything in his power to avoid all household chores. (I’d love to get him off his duff, but he’s stubborn too. His attitude is also why I have so much trouble with my son doing chores.)

So what never-ending chores to you hate or avoid? Which ones do you enjoy? Have you found ways to make the unpleasant tasks easier to bear or do you just muddle through them? Does music blasting through the house mean someone is doing chores? Do you find your to-do list getting ever longer because there simply aren’t enough hours in the day?

Chores have to be done, but what things do you do to make life pleasant?

Do you read, write, or do handcrafts? Do you do puzzles or word games? Do you exercise? (Yes, unbelievably some people like exercising.) What is that thing, or things, you do to relax or let off steam?

A good life must be balanced.

If you have to do those unpleasant tasks then when you’re done reward yourself with an equal amount of time to do something you do enjoy. I suggest putting both pleasant and unpleasant tasks on your daily to-do list. You’ll check more off and feel better about what you are accomplishing.

I mean you’ll have to do those unpleasant tasks anyway, why not make your day as pleasant as possible?

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.

Of To Do Lists and Sleeping In by Konnie Enos

I’m lying in bed after yet another trip to the bathroom, trying to get comfortable and looking forward to sleeping in. I know can sleep in for several reasons. I’d reminded my co-workers of my day off yesterday and Jerry about garbage day last night.

It has to be the middle of the night because my husband, who gets up alarmingly early each morning, is still fast asleep and snoring next to me. So I’m wondering why my brain is insisting I need to be awake.

The whole thing leaves me arguing. It is the middle of the night and I have no appointments today or even anything pressing.

True, it is payday, I will need to do some finances, and I’ll need to go to the grocery store later, for which I should write a shopping list. Tony wants to get some more driving practice in. (I’m the designated new driver trainer in this household because Jerry panics worse than I do.) Fortunately, that means he can drive me to the store.

Then there is Royce. He helped me clean and organize my side of the bedroom last Sunday and I promised him a reward. I’m assuming clothes shopping for him will take up part of my day.

Then there is the fact that Jerry and I promised each other we would use my day off for dates. I’m assuming we’re going to try, yet again, to fit it in. Though I’m not sure when or how. Not just because of my schedule but because we have a minor household repair Jerry has to work on, the sooner the better. So far, in two days, all he’s managed is to gather the supplies and tools he needs.

I’m honestly thinking we will not go out because we both already have so much on our plates and our children are bound to come up with something else that desperately needs done. There aren’t enough hours in the day. Although, it isn’t morning yet and there isn’t any reason why I can’t tackle it all after I’ve gotten enough sleep.

However, no amount of telling myself I cannot do any of it until it’s actually morning, as in after the sun comes up, is working.

So instead, as I toss about trying to get comfortable, I’m going over each little thing I know I have to do. No amount of arguing on my part would get my brain to believe it could wait a few more hours.

After several minutes of tossing, and arguing, I finally get myself comfortable. I’m just beginning to feel sleep take back over so I’m telling myself, “See all those things can wait.” Then my brain leveled me with its final argument.

You see there was one vital thing for me to do first thing this morning; something imperative with a set finish time. It couldn’t wait. Worst of all, it was something I had done absolutely no prep work on. None.

That woke me up. I had to finish before the deadline and I knew it could take me a while. Not because it was altogether that time consuming but because it could take me a while to figure out exactly WHAT I was doing and it’d take time to actually do it.

I ended up popping out of bed just as Jerry’s alarm went off. Now we’re both up well before the sun and on our computers.

What was so important to wake me up at that early hour?

THIS!

I hadn’t written my post yet. Apparently even having today off isn’t helping me have the time to actually write even this short post twice a month. I’m going to have to work on that.

As far as being woke up in the middle of the night by pressing tasks, this one was not stressful or earth shattering. I’m thankful it wasn’t a problem I couldn’t solve or something traumatic or distressing that woke me up.

Now if I can just get my muse to talk to me maybe I can get some other writing done that is if I can fit it in.

Now that I’ve gotten this post written, I’d like to get some more sleep but my alarm has already gone off and now I’m remembering another very important task I still need to do prep work. So much for sleep.

Does anybody else have mornings like this?

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.