Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Force cleaning

I'm a slob. My only saving grace is that I'm not an extreme pack rat. I'm a binge and purge style collector and cleaner. I let it build up and build up and then one weekend, I devote myself to getting rid of the mess. I'd like to be able to clean it as I go, but I'll take what I can get.


Until now . . .

I may have discovered the trick to overcoming my cleaning procrastination. I always set a list of small goals with cleaning. Such as hang all the clean clothes I've thrown around while trying to assemble and ensemble. Such as clean off my dresser. Such as make piles to sort later. No more specific tasks set. Just time. Now, I put on an album or mix and clean through its duration. When it's played through, I stop. I want to say that when it's over, I must absolutely stop cleaning, but I'm sure I'll usually keep going.

I'm out to change my patterns. That's my big thing right now. Identify these habits–or lack of–and see and implement tiny adjustments to my routine, in order to eliminate bad habits and instill good ones. Clever changes too. It helps if I am not annoyed with stupid self-helpie things. I'm not writing affirmations in lipstick on my mirror. "You can do it" in Berry Blush just is not my style.

Oh yeah, I've been going to a therapist for a couple of months now.

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