As I mentioned in my last post we are about to undergo a renovation on our house, which has necessitated a wholesale purging of musty corners and funky closets.

In the face of a project of this kind, it can be hard (at least for me) to remain focused. I allow myself to become overtired. Various items spark memories. I dredge up the past. 

In the face of this, I have adopted the following mantra:

“When in doubt, throw it out.”

“Well,” you may be thinking, “that’s a lovely—though somewhat Dr. Seussian—housekeeping mantra but I don’t read your blog for cleaning tips. How does this apply to my work/life?”

Thanks for asking. Here’s how I’ve been applying it outside the physical dirt and disorder:

Anytime I am mid-conversation with my husband and find myself thinking, “Why is he asking me this—didn’t we have this conversation already?” (Cue righteous indignation) I remind myself, “Throw it out. Start from the top.”

Anytime I hang up the phone with a friend and think, “What did s/he mean by that?? Did s/he mean X, Y, Z?? (Cue righteous indignation) I say to myself, “Throw it out. This is likely your crazy.”

Anytime I am speaking with a client and find myself thinking, “Is s/he for real with this question/request?? That’s it—no more me for you.” (Cue righteous indignation) I say to myself, “Throw it out. This doesn’t serve you in the long run.”

(As you can see, there has been no shortage of indignation.) 

So if you’ve been finding yourself more indignant than usual, it can be helpful to remind yourself, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

** If you liked this post you might also enjoy “Are you HANGRY?”