Do Less

Monday is my day to center and set myself some simple, synergistic goals, and this week I'm continuing to focus on flow. I've made a backwards calendar, with the first steps I need to take for my big Flow Project, and I expect that more will be revealed as I progress. Today's steps are to:

Agenda:

1. Read "5 Resets"

2. Plan how to Do Less

3. Simplify the bedroom and office

1. Read "5 Resets":

I started this book for Lent: "The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience" (2024), by Aditi Nerurkar. I'm finally into the 4th reset: 

Come Up for Air.

The message is that life is relentless; we need to learn how to take a break without sacrificing a feeling of creating meaning: We can do less to achieve more, create healthy boundaries, and feel more "in control".

The first technique she calls the Goldilocks Principle, or find the "Just Right" amount of stress, where you feel motivated and engaged, but not overwhelmed and depleted. But how do you do that in the real world? By taking frequent 10-minute breaks, and spend those breaks intentionally working on resilience and renewal: Stretch, take a short walk, drink water, do a breathing exercise, close your eyes, etc. Honor those breaks - don't screw around with games or emails.

2. Plan how to Do Less:

I already have a 15 minute break scheduled into my day, every 2 hours or so, to drink water and "cultivate flow". But I do not honor these breaks at all. I'm lucky if I remember to sip some water once or twice, even on the days when I don't have a full time responsibility with children.

So how can I build breathers in to my days, and honor them?

Set a timer and when it goes off, full stop: 

1. Grab water, go out the back door, drink and look at the sky. Think about nothing for a few minute.
2. Do one stretch of something tight.
3. Take a few deep breathes, touch my heart and name the love I'm feeling now.
4. At least once a day, use my break to go for a short walk.

3. Simplify the bedroom and office

May simplicity is not only about less clutter; it's my goal to have order, to have a home for each thing, and put it back there every day. 

This week my office needs organization; this is a space with way too much packed to it. Clearing even a small space, like the dresser top, gifts me with feelings of peace and joy.

I like this 2-step process for organizing stuff, from KC Davis' book:

1. Go systematically around a room and in each space, first put away everything that has a home, and gather everything with no home in one spot. 
2. Decide what to do with each of the unhoused items: Trash or find them a permanent home.  

This week I plan to:

• Clear the surfaces and only return what is essential. Find a new home for everything else. 
• Retire my altar for a while.
• Clear the in-basket.
• Get rid of some books to make the shelves feel looser.