I spent this Labor Day weekend doing a bunch of simple things. Things were cleaned, some other things were organized, the lawn was mowed, a book was read, and more mundane tasks completed. It’s pretty boring stuff, but it was also a relaxing and recharging time as well.
As I’ve written about before, I’m a to-do list kinda guy. It helps keep me on track throughout my work day and gives me a quick visual reference. If I’m stuck or feeling aimless, I can look at my list and grab something to do. In those instances, it’ll usually be the lowest hanging fruit – something I can knock quickly that will prime the pump for a bigger task.
I’d argue that just as important is having a time (like this past weekend) with a list of very simple things to do, and also finding pleasure in their simplicity. No one is paying me to clean up my garage or giving me a promotion for mowing the lawn, but in the moment, I took pleasure in the physicality of the things – the doing, working, and progress of the things. Afterwards, I could take satisfaction in a job well done.
In the dumpster fire that has been 2020, one of the things I’ve come to appreciate is that my life has become necessarily more simple in many areas. Learning to appreciate that simplicity is a hard-fought battle, but it’s one worth fighting.
In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow