Do the dishes!

It’s been a while since I wrote because I procrastinate a lot these days. I things would change after I moved to a new country and changed my name but I was wrong. Since I started cooking on my own, I realized that the vessels pile up if I don’t wash them on time. A good strategy to solve this issue is to wash them immediately. Postponing leads to a accumulation of vessels and eventually a dirty sink. It takes lot more effort to clean heaps of vessels than a single plate. “A stitch in time saves nine”.

Often, I find myself stalling because I find a mental threshold towards the task at hand. I justify that I will solve the task better later and and defer it. I find that a task postponed stays in the back of my mind and slowly seeps my energy. Having a lot of pending activities loads the mind and reduces it’s efficiency. As a minimalist, I find the need to keep everything clutter free (even my mind). It is optimal to finish off small tasks quickly so that the mind can be at ease. I find it easier to bike when I have less items in my backpack. I picture the tasks as items in my backpack, It is easier to reduce the burden immediately rather than carrying for a mile.

Some tasks I face are really difficult and it seems smarter to postpone it (Washing a cooker). Breaking down a difficult task into smaller components is another strategy I find to be useful (e.g., Soak cooker in water, scrub with soap, rinse …….). Disintegrating and working gives me confidence that I am making progress. I guess that’s how they build the Pyramids of Giza.

Procrastination also applies to a lot of interdisciplinary domains like doing the laundry, taking bath, or expressing your feelings. I know from a very reliable source where a person had a huge crush but didn’t express herself on time. She eventually wasted a lot of time stalking, trying to text her crush and reading depressing books to recuperate. Finally, it was resolved by eating chocolate icecream and some patented self hypnosis techniques. We all know that chocolate is a panacea but she could have saved a lot of time by expressing her feelings.

I’ve satirically  portrayed a childish emotion but often pent up emotions are very serious and raw. It’s easier to express indignation now than to throw a tantrum later. It is simpler to express a crush now than to be heartbroken later. It is easier to express gratitude now, rather than receive spite later. Sometimes, it is not appropriate to express feelings openly. It could be wise to express it in person in a subtle manner. If that is not an option, I think journaling or meditation are good alternatives.

I’m a procrastinator myself but of late, I have been trying to fix this issue. Hope some of my ideas help you wash the dishes and clean your sink!