How do you positively look at the petty details of life?

Question

I have hedge clippings my husband didn't clean up. I have things that need to go up in the attic. How can I stop procrastinating about doing these things. We all have petty details right? Do your petty details feel like a waste of time or do you enjoy taking care of these things. Do you have a strict get it done policy? I want to think differently about this petty details. I used to just take care of the things in a miserable way. Now I just put them off. There has to be a great way of looking at this. I would rip out the hedges & throw away the stuff that needs to go up in the attic but I have a feeling I couldn't maintain a totally simple life either so please help me change my negative thoughts about this to positive thoughts.

Answer 1

I have the same problem!  I think a lot of us do, here. I know, for myself, that if I could pull myself away from this computer, I 'know' I would get a lot more stuff done!  But I also know it will still be there, when I shut down for the night.  

I am starting to give these things away.  These are things that I know, when I put them away, where ever, I will not see them again for another year- at least!  So what is the point of having them?  Sentimental reasons?  Not good enough!

If they serve no purpose other than this, I really and truly don't need them.  Someone else, might.  Someone else might be overjoyed to have and use these "things" I hoard away!

This is the "positive" solution to my 'pettiness'. :D

Note:  I still have to come up with one for my 'computer' dilemma!  lol! :D

Answer 2

I would do one of these things:

     - Find a way to make it fun

     - Reward yourself when you're done

     - Tell yourself you can't do something you like until you do those things

      -  Listen to music while you do it

      - Talk calmly to your husband about helping out

I hope that I helped at least a little!

Answer 3

You should think of a funny solution to these annoying things. After all you still have to do them and probably your husband has always been leaving the clippings to be gathered by you. Why don't you draw a funny policy for the two of you about these things?

Answer 4

Just do it and then you can stop thinking about it.

I am the same way and keep wondering when my "Have-to-do" list is ever going to go away. The fact is...it never does. It's how life is.

For me, I have to reach a point where I am sick of the undone task irritating me so much that I just do it. Then when it is done (half the time these jobs take less than 15 minutes) I wonder why I waited so long. I spent more time thinking about it then it actually took to get done. So that it is motivator for me....get it done then I can stop being irritated with it.

When I am doing a chore, I often tell myself I will only spend a fixed amount of time on it. If I were going out to clean the hedge clipping, I would may a five song playlist (approx 15 min) on my ipod. Put on the tunes and work until the list was up.

If the task is longer, I like to listen to This American Life (its a free podcast on iTunes). Its really entertaining and I only listen to it when I am cleaning so it puts something enjoyable into something I don't like.