Systematic and Efficient
Systematic and efficient. What do those words mean when applied to your everyday life? Do you think about systems and efficiencies outside of the workplace? How could they apply to your morning routine? What do systems and efficiencies have to do with feeling relaxed and comfortable? A lot.
Simple systems, big ripples in your routine
My husband and I have made coffee to share every morning for over 20 years. Making sure this process happens predictably is a key point of pleasure and convenience to our morning routines. On rare occasions, this routine is thrown off, the coffee is not pre-set, and the "first-world-problems-style" dramatic reactions bubble up. "Oh My Gawd! I want coffee! Now I have to clean everything out, set it up, and WAIT!" Oh, the horror. Something as simple as this can throw off your headspace at the start of your day.
One task, all the components
Think of a simple task you do every day. Let's pretend you, like us, drink coffee every morning, and you can pre-set your coffee maker to start brewing automatically so fresh, hot coffee is ready for you at a specific time. You need supplies like the coffee maker, filters, coffee grounds, a clean carafe, and water. You need an ordered set of steps to set up the machine that involves cleaning out the old grounds and filter, washing out the carafe, installing a new filter and filling it with the proper amount of grounds, adding the right amount of water to the machine, and setting the timer to start at the correct time.
Things get nerdy
There are many ways to combine all the supplies and steps into a system, but some will take less time and effort than others. As an organizer, I look at these tasks, the supplies, the space, and the process and figure out how to make them as fast and easy as possible. Not just once but on a continuum. This is a cyclical task. These steps continually follow one another over 24 hours.
The entire process of cleaning up today's coffee and preparing tomorrow's takes under 2 minutes. Everything you need for the process is within reach of the coffee maker. We planned this specifically when we remodeled our kitchen.
NOTE: I will write a blog post about the importance of 2-minute and 30-second tasks! Stay tuned!
Prioritize energy and emotions
When setting up a system, I'm not ONLY thinking about the functional steps, supplies, and space. I'm also considering our individual capacities and energy levels during the same 24 hours and where this task fits best.
It felt like drudgery to do this task first thing in the morning. That strong feeling motivated us to create this system in the first place. Energy and patience are low before bedtime, so we do this in the early evening when other things are done in the kitchen.
Gifting ourselves and each other
Waking up to freshly brewed coffee feels great! Doing the work for it the day before is worth giving ourselves this gift each morning.
When we optimize our space and systems so tasks are easier to get done in less time, we lighten our load. We create more space for ease. We anticipate our own needs better because we have created awareness. We also anticipate and create ease for those around us.
My husband usually does the coffee maker task, but if my load is lighter that day or I have a few minutes to spare, I will take care of all or part of it to ease his workload. We both follow the same steps so we don't disrupt the system.
Your turn
What everyday tasks do you find tugging at your energy or affecting your mood? Are there pain points that could be better designed to improve your day? Observe those with whom you share space. Do they spend time on tasks that negatively affect their emotions or energy? Can you gift them better systems? What would it feel like to have routines creating moments of calm or joy in your day? What would that cumulative effect have on your life?
I'm here to help! Let's create some ease in your everyday routines! Contact me and we'll get started.
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