Do the grunt work around the house as if everything you are doing is actually making a difference in the house. Ready for the kicker? It actually does make a difference!!
Everywhere that you clean.
Every place you declutter.
Every shelf you organize.
It all makes a huge difference!
You walk into your house differently. You sleep differently. You entertain differently. You even have different relationships with the people who live in the house with you!
Work as if putting one dish away makes a difference, as if one clean toilet makes a difference, vacuum one area rug as if it makes a difference. It all adds up – no matter how small, no matter how much energy you can put into it.
IT ALL MATTERS!
It is the main idea behind what I constantly say to the kids. Work hard to be able to play hard. Or even just work hard to be able to do nothing! But first, do the work!
It’s a hard lesson to teach kids and even some adults. Everyone wants the reward! No one wants to work. But the more you just get up off the couch and do, the better you will feel. Next time you find yourself wanting to sit down, promise yourself that you will do a few extra things for FIVE minutes, first!! Don’t even sit until you have taken action for those five minutes. Then, and only then, the reward will seem so much sweeter – you will know, that even if you did nothing the rest of the day, you worked hard for those five minutes, and now, you really can sit without feeling guilty. Don’t like a timer? Fill your tea kettle with water, turn it on, and work your butt off until the water is boiling. Prepare a cup of tea, and while it’s steeping, work hard again. That first sip of your tea will actually taste better than if you hadn’t worked hard! Crazy, isn’t it? Give it a try!
Next time you want to relax, force yourself to work for an extra five minutes first! I mean, it’s only five minutes! What are you really missing out on during that time?
Do the work! Grunt and complain if you must! But first… Work hard!!
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