Couch day!
Couch day!
Okay, so you're feeling resistant to doing things. What are the things?
Can you cut down your actual to do list or no?
Don’t do self-flagellation! Feeling lazy doesn’t mean there’s something inherently wrong with how your brain is working.
Here’s a list of things I have on my backburner.
It’s the list of things I want to do that are in my periphery, but I haven’t tackled because they don't feel urgent. It’s been sitting on things I gotta do now for an infinite amount of time.
unscrew that towel bar on the back of my closet door because the sharp screws keep hurting me when I lean on the door
sign up for NARCAN training - it’s important because it’s not that if someone overdoses from an opioid overdose, but when
get a dual-tray laser printer
find a new general physician or family doctor - to feel in control of my body, I need to do the maintenance of taking care of my body
get a new dentist - you got to pry teeth out of my mouth before you persuade me to see a dentist in a shopping mall again
shop around for an upright vacuum cleaner because these cats shed like crazy
buy new sneakers for running
write a new post for ‘Thanks for Sharing’de-clutter the front office
throw the small area rugs in the washer now that our dryer is fixed
wash the curtains
buy some new microfiber cloths - two is not enough for wiping down screens and sunglasses
re-organize the kitchen cupboards - we have too many ceramic yogurt jars from La Fermière that we don't need
de-clutter what's underneath the bed - there's clothes I don't wear living under there but I don't want them in a landfill yet, and I know they're not in the ideal condition for hand-me-downs
organize the contacts in my phone - there's a lot of numbers in my phone that don't make sense why I be keeping them...maybe it will help if I add notes to some contacts
scrub down my stove top burners
scrub down the sink - I don’t the motivation unless the kitchen sink is empty
mail out a package
throw the mattress cover in the wash - I’m not obsessed with performing laundry duties but I indulge in the softness of fresh sheets
That’s the list of well, it's on the backburner but it doesn’t feel that urgent to actually do them items.
The resistance to do things is not a sign to push yourself, but it’s a signal that ya gotta slow down
I like having a Couch Day. What is a Couch Day?
A Couch Day is a designated day to not move from the couch. It’s my discipline to only move from the bed to the couch. If I’m lucky, both of my cats will snuggle with me.
Couch Day doesn’t have to last all day. It can be a chunk of time that you don’t leave the couch. You plant your butt on the couch for several hours. You sit for a while. You choose how to spend the time.
Last year, if you told me to take a Couch Day, my reaction would be, uh no thank you you’re lazy I’m gonna take care of my shit, today.
There’s a wonderful interview with Devon Price Ph.D., who wrote Laziness Does Not Exist. My takeaway is pulled from the interview,
Laziness is usually a warning sign from our bodies and our minds that something is not working, and we really need a break.
Why beat yourself up for not making art?
Where does the pressure come from? Why do you always gotta be creating? To share on the internet?
What do I blame, Instagram?
I think Instagram is a great way to share your art. But what is the obsession to churn the photos and videos just so you can put it out there?
Does everyone on the internet gotta prove they’re productive? No.
I think getting eight or nine hours of sleep is productive. You can define what being productive means to you.
Maybe you’re frazzled about how to spend your free time.
Is it uncomfy to have free time? Don’t you have hobbies outside of your day job?
I was resistant to writing the previous ‘Thanks for Sharing’ post. I procrastinated on writing. In my mind, I wanted to write about the feeling of home - how it feels to be at home.
Instead of writing up to 750 words, I just did a photo dump. I know I write a lot. But in the photo dump, I said more with JPEGs about home than in words.
Did ya hit a wall?
If you’re feeling resistant to doing the one thing, question yourself on why it’s hard. Perhaps it’s a roadblock. You neglected buying paint. Now you can’t paint. That’s an example of hitting a wall.
There could just be a bunch of obstacles in your way.
Put the car in reverse and do a broken U-turn. Maybe the alternative isn’t to drive forward. Maybe ya gotta re-tool a project for it to be more effortless for you.
Thanks for Listening,
Alexander