Well, it's day 14 and I hope you are seeing some real progress in your own mindset and in the space you've chosen. Before we get started on today, let's check in!
How are you liking the space that you've chosen? Think through the things that you've been able to tidy and/or keep tidy in this space and give yourself a mental round of applause for the effort!
How are dishes and laundry going? Are you settling into a schedule for these that works for you? Remember that when something isn't working, you have permission to change based on your needs. Validate your unique needs by accomplishing these each day that you can, with the limits of your body in mind.
Were you able to do some difficult "normal" cleaning like vacuuming and mopping? If so, you are a rock star!! Keep these tasks in mind on days when you have some energy and you'll soon find a pattern of living that works for you.
Today we're checking in on the littles list. This is the list of small, but annoying, deep cleaning tasks that we make on the basis of our bodies. I'd recommend trying to make at least one littles list a week, more if you feel super amazing.
So, how can we make this list work for our unique situations and our unique bodies? Here are some tips that I find helpful.
1. When the wave hits, ride it. If you are like me, nothing is more frustrating that wanting to feel strong and capable and having a day where that just doesn't happen physically. On the flip side, I adore it when I unexpectedly see a deep clean issue (like maybe needing to wipe down a particularly dirty mirror) and realize that my body has the strength to DO IT. When these waves of strength and capability hit, ride them. Make a quick littles list and work to see how many you can cross off before your body needs a break. These waves are like little miracles, so relish them and celebrate them to help accomplish the littles list you've made.
2. Be smart when making and completing your list. Not all days (or weeks or months) are created equal for perfectly healthy people, and they are certainly not all created equal for chronic-sufferers. Be smart about what you put on your list, and how you complete it to accommodate the difference. Weak on the couch? Maybe your little list for today consists of two items- clean/sanitize your mobile phone and the end table next to you. Maybe you grab a Clorox wipe or two and work on these little tasks bit by bit over an hour. Guess what?! That is still deep cleaning! It's still getting things done that make your home cleaner and make you feel productive. Give yourself all the credit in the world when you cross those littles off, and know that good days will come again....someday.
3. Try, try, try (and relish your tenacity). My body often does NOT feel like it can get up, walk across the room, grab a rag and go complete a little that I've listed. My arms feel weak, and just thinking about it, I swear I start to feel a bit dizzy. The more I think about doing a task, the more it seems like I'm asking my body the impossible. It's important to be safe, but it's also important to just give it a try. Just start by sitting up, then by standing. See how you actually feel starting on a task and let this determine if it is a safe time to try or not. Sitting around thinking about it, for me, causes my body and mind to become paralyzed with fear that I'll fail or fall or whatever. Just starting to put one foot on the ground, then another, I often find that I do have the strength for a little something, and I feel AMAZING when I sit back down and I've completed a task that I was unsure I could do. Even when I can't complete it, I congratulate myself on trying and set a timer to try again after I rest.
4. Mentally Break it Down. The littles list is meant to be small. No item should take more than five minutes. Maybe for you, this seems way easy (it's certainly not meant to be overwhelming) but for me, sometimes I need to break it down even more. So, I take a little (say dusting) and mentally I start to break it down (and chant it in my head to keep me focused). This is what it looks like when I'm mentally talking to myself :)
Me: First, grab a rag, next wipe off the piano, then wipe off the shelf, last sit down.
Literally, I will repeat this four step process in my head, removing each item as I complete it. It just so motivating to know that in four short steps I will have finished a task!
Here's hoping that these tips will help spark ideas on how to make the little's list work for you!
31 Days to a Chronic Clean
