“Michael always says, ‘K-I-S-S. Keep it simple, stupid.’
Great advice. Hurts my feelings every time.” -Dwight Schrute, The Office
It was the morning of my son’s 4th birthday party, and I was debating whether to make pancakes for breakfast. For most people, this would be a no-brainer. The kitchen was clean, there was a lot to do before the guests came in the mid-morning, and pancakes would just take time, energy and extra clean-up. But part of my brain still struggled with the decision. It was Saturday morning. We ALWAYS made pancakes or waffles on Saturday mornings. How could we not do it today?
And then I reminded myself: Keep it Simple.
That’s been my mantra over the past few weeks. I’m going through a very intense period right now, where every area of my life needs a lot of effort. My physical and mental health are high priorities, with the baby coming in just a few weeks. My son is going through the transition of going back to daycare and starting preschool for the first time, as well as becoming a big brother soon. The school year started well for me, but there’s always extra work to get things going, and teaching takes a lot of energy even when you’re not pregnant; I also have to prepare for my eventual leaving and the sub taking over. And I’m in the middle of a huge writing project. I’m editing and re-writing big sections of WAIST one more time before the baby comes.
With all of that going on, if I don’t Keep It Simple wherever I can, I’m just going to make all of the above even worse.
But that’s easier said than done. I’ve always demanded a lot from myself, set my standards high. It’s hard for me to walk away from an established habit, even if it’s a seemingly insignificant one, like making pancakes. That’s why I need the mantra as a constant reminder, a way to maintain perspective.
How about you? Do you have a mantra that reminds you of what’s important and how to prioritize in the moment?
I had to simplify my lifestyle earlier this year, when I changed my writing routine so I could fit it in on two or three weeknights instead of weekends only. This meant figuring out what to do about dinner on those weeknights. I like to cook, though I don’t make any fancy for just myself. But when I thought about it, I realized that the time I spent preparing and cleaning up after cooking would be better spent writing or editing. Now, on those two or three weeknights each week, I make something simply yet (relatively) healthy for dinner, like soup, sandwich, salad, or leftovers. Then, off to the WIP! It’s been a time-saver, for sure.
Yes, simplifying chores is one way to get extra work done! We’re trying to streamline all of our meal prep too, so that we can still eat well but not have to do it all in the evenings. Dinnertime is my least energized time of day.