[2021-08-17] Just clean the vanity
Today, I had a half hour to kill after returning from my morning walk and before having lunch, so I decided to clean the vanity in my ensuite bathroom. Nothing more. Just the vanity.
After lunch, I thought that I might do a little more cleaning. Before I knew it, I had washed the entire ensuite bathroom. Inspired by my first success, I then turned my attention to the main bathroom, and washed that one too.
It's the same trick I shared in Put on your shoes. In that post, I noted that if I'm feeling reluctant to exercise, I just put on my shoes and get out the door. Getting started is often the hardest part. But, as I like to say, better the 30-minute walk I do than the 60-minute run I don't. In other words, any effort is better than no effort at all.
This method is also about breaking big tasks down into smaller ones. As they say, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. If a project is so onerous that you're too intimidated to start it, divide it into smaller chunks and spread those out over several days if you have the luxury of time.
I employed one other trick today to keep me energized. While cleaning my bathrooms, I listened to an interesting audiobook: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. While I've often opted for high-energy music while doing housecleaning, I've never listened to an audiobook while tidying up. I loved the experience. I actually found it easier to pay attention to the narration while cleaning than I typically do while walking. It was almost like meditating.
What encouraged me the most today, however, is that I could work for several hours without feeling depleted. I felt like my pre-cancer energy level was back. That is fabulously encouraging.
