Muddling through Monday
Can we make it a little bit less awful?
This morning, Monday, was a chaotic whirlwind. We had a packed summer weekend, so we were groggy and resistant to our weekday reentry. Plus, my toddler has started a consistent refrain of “What doing!?” which is adorable and adds to the chaos of getting out the door, needing to explain every action you are taking.
Once I dropped the girlie at school, I was already drained and not dealing with a full deck as I tried to work out the schedule logistics for starting my workday. I was running late, I knew that, but not much else. I needed to get to the office for an on-camera meeting that started in 7 minutes, but my commute is…longer than that and, well, I did not plan well for this.
Frantically sipping my coffee, hoping for the superpower of caffeine to sort this dilemma out for me as I drove toward the highway on autopilot, I came up over a hill and all of a sudden the expanse of Elliot Bay was laid out in front of me with the green of West Seattle framing the sea and above it all, a crisp, bright blue sky.
The view just jolted me awake. Holy cow! This is my commute! And my home! And how incredible is it!? Can you even believe it?, I asked myself.
I took a right turn and parked in front of Bake Shop. Once inside, I logged onto my meeting with 1 minute to spare and participated alongside a warm, gooey cinnamon bun and more caffeine.
No, I’m not stoked to be at work on this gorgeous Monday morning and I do still have to commute to the office. I would rather not have a commute at all, but in the current season of my life, that’s not a choice within my control. Fortified by cinnamon roll and iced latte, I was able to enjoy the mountain vistas as I drove toward my cubicle (Baker! Rainier! Everyone was out!).
Sometimes, we can be creatively intentional with our time and pack in as many enjoyable, chosen activities as possible. But other times, we have to do laundry, take out the trash, or commute in traffic to a cubicle. The reality of being a grown-up is that we have to take care of some things that we might not choose, given the option.
When we muddle through the hard stuff, it brings us down — actually! Doing things you dislike drains your energy more than things you enjoy (it’s real!). So, when stretches of hours or recurring chores consistently feel like a struggle, it’s a gift to yourself to build routines that are enjoyable – or at least more enjoyable than the alternative. Not only will you enjoy the disliked activity more but you will also conserve your mental and physical energy for other things you would choose to spend them on.
If you, like me, loathe your commute, how can you boost your own spirits? I’ve started bringing a fancy coffee to sip and always have an audiobook playing. Yes, I would DEFINITELY rather be sitting on my back porch in the sunshine, sipping coffee and reading a physical book, but that option is not on the table.
Laundry? Dishes? What chores do you dislike? If you can’t outsource them (always worth considering!), how can you incentivize yourself to get them done? Audiobooks, TV, or voice memos with friends are always helpful for me when my hands are busy. I’ve started playing reruns of Friends while I fold laundry and wash dishes.
I also like to reward myself with a treat. After I unload the dishwasher, I can eat cookies and read my book.
Incorporating these things I do love into routines that feel like a drag helps them feel less like a drag! And then, when there are options on the table, I have more capacity to choose how I want to spend my time.
What adult responsibilities are you muddling through? How can you boost your own spirits?