Getting off autopilot
I opened the linen closet door and, without really paying attention, reached in to the back left corner for a washcloth. Hmph. Nothing there. I took a step back and realized that the shelf had been reorganized. The bath towels were where the washcloths normally were; and the washcloths were now on the opposite side of the shelf. Weird.
Figuring there was zero chance my son was responsible, I called out to my husband across the way in our home office, feigning enthusiasm for the reorg: "Did you... rearrange the linen closet?" Ignoring the false cheeriness in my voice, I heard his desk chair roll backwards before he came out and joined me in the main bath. "Yes," he said. "It makes much more sense now. You don't have to reach in that back corner when you can grab what's right in front of you." He mimicked doing so as I blinked a few times and processed his explanation and demonstration. It was like a lightbulb went off. He was right. (Yes Jay, I actually put that in writing!)
It turns out, I'd been on autopilot. For the 10+ years we've lived in the house. Oof. All that time, I never once thought to reexamine my organizational approach. I kept this odd configuration for no good reason except for, well, that's how I'd always done it. And that's exactly why I share this seemingly innocuous and mundane tale. Since then, I've made it a point to reexamine so many things I do out of habit or without thinking.
One time-saving example? I realized I clean the kitchen twice when I'm home alone working: once after breakfast and once after I eat lunch. I'm the only one here, so who cares if it stays messy and I do it once after lunch? It puts me at my desk sooner in the morning and gives me a few minutes longer to unwind before the second half of my workday.
One efficiency example? Instead of linking my blog in the newsletter, why not linking both the blog AND my LinkedIn post sharing the blog? Typically, I post after I send the newsletter, but why not try something different? Quite a few of you have said you want to support my social media posts, so why not make it easier for you to do so? Look at me, flipping the script. I have no idea if I'll stick with this approach, but I do know my washcloths have never been easier to find.
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