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Post by clearwaterush on Oct 17, 2008 11:58:02 GMT -5
Teach me to be positive instead of negative about housework. What do I tell myself? I want it done in a day, and it won't happen. I can't see the road ahead. I need input!
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Post by metamorpha on Oct 17, 2008 13:22:14 GMT -5
Make one area clean and train your positive self-talk to appreciate it. It's hard turning that voice in your head around, but instead of saying, "I only have a corner done!" say "Woot! I have a corner done, and tomorrow I'll do another one!"
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Post by messymimi on Oct 17, 2008 13:29:55 GMT -5
When I get stuck in the bad positive -- as in, "I'm positive this will never get done!" -- I get on here, and read, and go do one more thing.
No, it won't get done in a day. Also, they will always want clean laundry and hot meals, and there will always be maintenance to do even when it is clean. I think of that as job security  . The Lord can't take me, my work isn't finished! 
HTH
messymimi
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Post by Script on Oct 17, 2008 18:01:08 GMT -5
I talk to myself (silently  ) all the time. "Script, this is great. You're doing so well. Just another few minutes. Wow! Look at the progress! You can do it! When we stop you can have a nice treat" I promise myself all kinds of TREATS just to keep myself going  No: not coffee:  or maybe  stickers  I also PRAY while working ("Please help me to finish this. Please give me the strength to keep going. Thank you for this nice floor to wash.") Yes, sometimes I feel like screaming  or crying  . we all do. But I have really WORKED  like a DOG to improve my attitude. I find that keeping track of my triumphs (ListZilla, on-line accountability, LiveJournal: anything) also helps.   another trick: I give myself STICKER stars (rewards) whenever I do any fitness for the day.  Any trick that works! |
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Post by brenda on Oct 17, 2008 18:06:16 GMT -5
Attitude is everything. I tell myself how much I enjoy a clean home and how the task at end is rewarding. Any I hate cleaning, or why do I have to do this is out the window.
I think some people love to clean, fake it to make it!
Brenda
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Post by clearwaterush on Oct 17, 2008 22:12:25 GMT -5
Thank you. I will learn to be positive. I love stickers!! When I want to relax, I reward my self with computer time!
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Post by Magpie on Oct 18, 2008 0:03:17 GMT -5
Just a thought ... but where is it written you have to stay positive about it?
You could hate it and get it done by using that emotion to fuel your efforts.
Or view it as an opponent to be conquered.
And so on.
Maggie
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Post by DJ on Oct 18, 2008 1:23:02 GMT -5
i have-
listened to music
drank tea and puttered about at a leisurely pace
danced
played donna reed- heels, skirt, pearls, let's make it better homes and gardens, folks!
Donna Reed<the dark side>- heels, skirt, disheaveled hair, glass of wine in hand, valium in purse.
rewarded myself when done
rewarded myself for thinking about starting
acknowledging what i'm doing- vacuuming the 900 square foot of floor that i am part of the privellaged few who have this much floor, in this quality of home, in this relatively rich area of the world...
acknowledged that i am dusting books that i love, washing sheets that go on the featherbed that is soft like heaven, washing dishes from a delicious meal that i got to share with my family, wiping down bathroom counters that -somehow- get hair from my beloved fourleggedfurballs on em all the time... i am essentially.. maintaining the life that i have chosen that's filled with things that i have chosen. if i don't want to vacuum so much floor so often i have options. get rid of my pets.<i don't want to, i choose to vacuum and maintain> i could get rid of more stuff and move somewhere smaller and have less area to vacuum<i choose not to, i choose to vacuum and maintain.>
that's how i get through it at least
i've also been known to have "cleaning in my pjs day" "clean like a pirate" "clean the castle fortress" "zookeepers never get a holiday cleaning" "exploring the urban jungle cleaning" and "i am a college student, i don't need to clean half hearted cleaning days"
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Post by bluefrog on Oct 18, 2008 8:29:09 GMT -5
Trying to keep a positive attitude toward housework, I tell myself when I'm doing stuff--washing dishes, making the bed, folding the laundry--that I'm doing it so it will be ready the next time I want to use it. I don't want to eat from dirty dishes, sleep in a rumpled bed, or wear dirty clothes, so it makes it easier to remind myself that I'm going to benefit from whatever I'm doing.
I also clean to music--Jimmy Buffett sings some great "working songs"--reward myself with reading or TV watching time, and remind myself to be thankful that I have a house to clean, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in.
I love "clean like a pirate" day!
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leo
New Member
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 12 
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Post by leo on Oct 18, 2008 11:43:42 GMT -5
I think about a movie that I saw with Kathy Bates in it. It was called "A Home of Our Own" and I feel so thankful that I have my own home and then I get busy. Some days I just stay on the couch and read or watch tv. I need to be kicked a bit to get motivated...that is why I joined you guys.
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Post by limegreen on Oct 18, 2008 19:37:55 GMT -5
played donna reed- heels, skirt, pearls, let's make it better homes and gardens, folks! I have done the cleaning in heels, and surprisingly I did feel better about myself whilst doing it, but my feet were killing me by the time I stopped. (I only did it in heels because I cannot reach the top shelf in the kitchen closet otherwise) |
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Post by UdderChaos on Oct 18, 2008 19:54:55 GMT -5
Err... what's "clean like a pirate" day?  |
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Post by syzygy on Oct 18, 2008 20:55:24 GMT -5
I've had great luck using the Listzilla "Working in 3's" thread. I can (semi-)publicly announce that I just did something. And since I tell myself that I need to do three things, I can convince myself to do, say, one more thing to make three.
Depending on the day I'm having, the three things could be little things- like picking up three pieces of trash- or larger- like spending a half hour working on a project.
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Post by DJ on Oct 18, 2008 22:21:55 GMT -5
you get to wear piratey garb and swab the decks instead of mop the kitchen
you also get to drink rum
and watch anything where johnny depp remotely resembles a pirate.
limegreen- almost fell off chair laughing. yeah, heels do help me reach high shelves too. they never bothered my feet before but now i guess with arthritis they hurt a weird part of my foot. such a bummer. that's ok. now i can wear flats and clean like a ballerina. plie and swipe, eh?
yes, i actually do this stuff. sometimes life's a little overwhelming and you just need to laugh.
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Post by ramatama on Oct 19, 2008 10:04:46 GMT -5
Just a thought ... but where is it written you have to stay positive about it? You could hate it and get it done by using that emotion to fuel your efforts. Or view it as an opponent to be conquered. And so on. Maggie hehehehehehe, that was my very first gut response!!! but i also use tricks to keep me started and going. Mostly it is immediate rewards after a task is done. (something that works best with us ADHD folk) Then there is the trick i use a lot and have mentioned many times here: i will use radio or podcast and work for the duration of say 3 songs and see how much i can get done, then pause, get reward, put timer on or i might get carried away with PC, and when it goes "bing", another round of 3 more songs. I also rush around like mad tidying up things during each TV commercial break in the evenings. (clearing dinner dishes, pots pans, emptying dishwasher, laundry loads, vaccuming 1 room, and so on = there is a myriad of 5-6 minute jobs) I will allow myself to watch a TV movie only if i do ironing while watching.... I will allow myself a pastry only if i go out and do my errands... and so on. Lots of tricks... Maybe we should gather these again and make a stickie out of them??? |
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