Do you have something around your house that needs to be fixed but you haven’t taken the five or ten minutes to fix it? You’ll make a little extra effort every day to work around the problem thinking that you don’t have the time to actually fix it. The truth is that you spend more time and energy working around the problem than you would actually fixing it. And that broken thing takes up a little bit of your attention, sitting there in the back of your mind waiting to be fixed.
There’s some sage advice out there that says that, if you buy a house that needs some repairs or finishing, do NOT move into the house until ALL of the work is done. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at those same needed repairs five, ten or more years from the day you moved in.
Mounting Burdens
How often do you do this in all areas of your life? The broken relationship. That extra five or ten pounds. The lack of energy to get through the day. The unbalanced checkbook. The deliverables you keep procrastinating on.
They each suck a little bit of energy from us every day. They create tiny bits of distraction that keep us from being completely focused and present.
This all occurred to me when I finally fixed a broken kitchen drawer. At first, the drawer became hard to open and close but we just used a little more force and worked with it. After about a month, it became completely inoperable regardless of how much force we used. I took a quick peek inside to discover that one of the tracks that the wheels roll on had completely fallen off but I couldn’t easily see where it was. Instead of taking the time to fix it, I pulled out the drawer and emptied it and taped a cover over the hole thinking that this was part of all the little broken parts of the kitchen cabinets that will get fixed when we (someday) completely re-do the kitchen.
And then the same thing happened to the drawer beneath it. I tried more “quick fixes” that didn’t quite work. And then I laughed at myself.
Fix It Right Now
I got a screwdriver and a few screws and took about ten minutes to put both drawers back together so they both now work perfectly. Why didn’t I do this a few months ago?
Then I started noticing all the other little ways that I avoid fixing things that add to my mental burden. I made a pact with myself to fix everything I see as soon as I notice it.
It’s been one of those experiences where I didn’t realize how taking these tiny actions in the moment change how I feel all day. I no longer have to file away the thought to remember to do something “when I have the time.” In the past, I never make the time and all those things piled up in my head. By doing them as I see them, I don’t have to carry the extra weight.
Feel Good Right Now
Learning from the practice of doing things as I see them, I’ve translated the idea into doing things that make me feel good in the moment instead of waiting until I “have the time.”
By only focusing on work, I become drained. Because there’s always more than enough to do, I procrastinate on things that will actually energize me and help me to get more work done.
For example, if I don’t practice yoga daily, my body, mind, and spirit feel it. I used to practice first thing in the morning (before kids) so I never missed my practice. Now, regardless of how early I get up, the little ones are up with me. Instead of forcing the issue in the morning when it’s not good for them, I started practicing in the afternoon when my body and mind need a break from the computer.
At first, I was consistently working through the day and forgetting to stop and practice so I felt worse each day. Now I have a reminder that pops up telling me to “do yoga.” It sits there until I get out of my chair and practice. Most days I practice but some days I push it aside thinking that I don’t have the time. And I always regret that decision.
Living My Values
Now I’m in the process of re-training my mind to be OK with doing what feels good in the moment. My monkey mind usually jumps in to remind me of all the work that still needs to be done to which my mindful mind replies, “What’s the worst that could happen?”
My health is my top value. Without it, I’m useless to anyone or anything in my life. I have to remind my monkey mind that I’m living my values now, not someone else’s. If something about me needs attention, if it needs to be fixed, I stop what I’m doing and fix it. I don’t limp along feeling crappy and being less than what I want to be with my family and friends. They don’t want to be around me when I feel like that. So I stop and fix it when I notice it.
Simple Steps
If something needs to be fixed, stop what you’re doing and fix it right now.
If something needs to be cleaned or organized, stop what you’re doing and clean it right now.
If your body needs to move, stop what you’re doing and get up and move however your body is telling you to right now.
If you need to make a tough call, stop what you’re doing and make the call right now.
If you’re thinking about all the fun in life that you’re missing out on or that you’ll get to “someday,” stop what you’re doing and go do it or make concrete plans to make it happen right now.
Your time here on earth is short. Don’t carry burdens. Have fun. Do what makes your heart sing.
Stop what you’re doing and make it happen right now.