The daily routines of life can feel futile:
Eat and grow hungry again.
Mop and someone tracks dirt on the floor.
Wash your laundry, and by the time you put it away, there’s more laundry to do.
Life is full of repetitive tasks. From keeping fit to keeping things tidy, much of our lives are devoted to regular maintenance.
And no matter how well you did a task last time, you’re going to have to do it again, and again, and again until that phase of your life is over.
Since you can’t avoid these tasks of daily maintenance, your choice is how to approach them.
If you resent, resist, put off, or otherwise frown upon these tasks, you’ll end up grumpy a good portion of your life (with bad teeth, in a dirty home).
Changing the quality of your thoughts can turn boring tasks into daily meditation.
Here’s how:
- Become hyper-focused on your senses
- If you’re washing dishes, you can enjoy the feel of the warm, sudsy water, admire the bubbles in front of you, or smell the clean smell of the dish soap while you’re scrubbing. When I walk or jog, I focus on the smell of the air, the sounds all around me, or the way the light streams through the trees. This is enough to keep me interested in what could otherwise become ‘boring’ activities.
- Practice mantra repetition or breath-counting
- You can synchronize any repetitive task, like vacuuming, jogging, or even brushing your teeth, with mantra repetition or breath-counting. Instead of thinking about how lame it is to have to vacuum all the time, you could count your in-breaths and out-breaths, from one to five, five times. See if you can maintain your focus on the count, and not get distracted. It’s harder to do than it seems. You can also replace any thoughts you are having with a simple mantra or affirmation – try mentally repeating “I am” while you’re waiting in line, or when you’re stopped in traffic. See how this thought makes you feel.
- Imagine all of the other beings who are engaging in this task along with you
- When I was up with my infant son at night, I found I could relax and enjoy the time more if I imagined the other beings who were up with their loved ones, too. I’d think of the squirrels and birds who were cozy in their nests right beyond my walls. I’d picture all of the other caregivers all over the world who were caring for vulnerable family members, too. It helped to curb the resentment I felt at having my sleep interrupted in the middle of the night.
- Be grateful for the chores at hand
- Every time I fold laundry, I try to feel grateful for our linens and clothing. I remember when I bought certain items, or where one of us has worn it, and I think about all the good times we’ve had with them. I can extend this into being grateful to the people who made the clothes or the sheets, the shops that sold them, and the clients whose business makes it possible for me to buy them for myself and my family.
- Remember that sometimes, maintenance is progress
- Once, in Ti Harmony’s yoga class, I was struggling with a pose. I’d been practicing yoga for almost 25 years, and I still wasn’t any good at this posture. I asked Ti: “Can I expect to get any better at this pose if I keep at it?” And Ti replied: “Caroline, sometimes maintenance is progress.” I think about that as my family and I work to care for our 120-year old home – just keeping it standing is a feat, day after day.
It’s common to look for entertainment when life feels monotonous. There is great value in listening to podcasts or e-books while doing any routine tasks.
But it’s also good to try to control your mind.
Try to implement these five suggestions when you’d otherwise be tuning out with headphones or TV, or worse, resenting your time.
If you do so, not only might you enjoy your daily routines more, but you may also improve your focus, empathy, and imagination — making your time even more well-spent.
