How is it that dishes have such an influence on my day?!
I let the dishes pile up the day before yesterday. and yesterday. and today. ahh.
After breakfast I was in a sort of bad mood, not angry, just tired and totally unmotivated. Between all the requests for milk and food and all the clean up that comes with it, I probably passed by the dishes 20 times, feeling even more tired and just blah by the time 11am rolled around. I really think it was those dishes.
I fixed the kids some lunch, cringing at the sight of more dirty dishes. By then I thought, “these are probably the most dishes I have ever had in my sink.” So, while Hyrum continued to paint the highchair tray with spaghetti sauce, I turned on some relaxing music and starting washing (no dishwasher here.)
You guys, this was like magic. It was like I melted. All that tenseness, grumpiness, whatever it was, totally went away the more I washed those dishes. By the time I was halfway done, my headache was gone and I just felt so much happier. Phew!
If I can offer some advice (to myself especially)… just do it. Take your break, then put on some good music and decide you are going to make the best of it. Whatever it is, overflowing dishes, laundry, TAXES, making that phone call, get it done and over with so you can embrace the day easier. It feels so much better.
And one more note of something that has been helpful recently…
If you have a a big sweet tooth like me and occasionally get caught in the sugar craving trap, put off the sugar until as late in the day as possible.
I’m not saying don’t eat sugar at all (I’m sure that’s ideal, but this is realistic and totally do-able.) I’m just saying that the days when I eat sweeter foods for breakfast, I want them the rest of the day. The later I can procrastinate (finally a positive thing!) eating sugary foods (like juice, cereal, etc.) or treats, the less I even want them! And then I’ll have some later in the day and it doesn’t have as much of an influence on my cravings. Nice!
Then again, if you can avoid sugary foods all together, go you! And if you don’t even care much for sugar, (like my husband) lucky you. The rest of us will just eat that pan of brownies for you. 😉