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Domestic ramblings, continued
Mar. 2nd, 2012 12:30 pmI came across a very useful phrase the other day: reward behaviour. It's a technical term that I hadn't encountered before, but makes perfect sense for a certain set of patterns.
A main point of this recent 'unfuck your habitat' campaign is actually changing my reward behaviour. Right now, the majority of my evenings go like this: 'Come home from work, cook, eat, spod around online looking at shiny things, pass out when tired.' I'm attempting to change this script to: 'Come home, cook, eat, do some useful stuff, brag about it on the internet, then spod around online looking at shiny things.' The 'brag about it' part is essential. People reward me for it by giving me attention and generally acknowledging my existence. This is a HUGE incentive. I also get to feel like I achieved something. But really, the actual result of uncluttered living space is almost a side effect in the larger context of changing unhelpful habits.
Speaking of which, progress continues.
( Stuff: Achieved )
Special mention needs to be made of![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lordofthewheel, because he rocks. When I got in from work last night, I found the laundry done, the kitchen tidied and wiped down, and he spontaneously helped with the great assault on the underbed space by repacking all the camping rolls and air beds we keep there. I think my bout of getting things done-ness is rubbing off on him. He claims he did it so he doesn't have to feel guilty. :p Whichever it is, it's an enormous help and five shades of awesome.
Next goal: wardrobe. (Muahahaha.)
A main point of this recent 'unfuck your habitat' campaign is actually changing my reward behaviour. Right now, the majority of my evenings go like this: 'Come home from work, cook, eat, spod around online looking at shiny things, pass out when tired.' I'm attempting to change this script to: 'Come home, cook, eat, do some useful stuff, brag about it on the internet, then spod around online looking at shiny things.' The 'brag about it' part is essential. People reward me for it by giving me attention and generally acknowledging my existence. This is a HUGE incentive. I also get to feel like I achieved something. But really, the actual result of uncluttered living space is almost a side effect in the larger context of changing unhelpful habits.
Speaking of which, progress continues.
( Stuff: Achieved )
Special mention needs to be made of
lordofthewheel, because he rocks. When I got in from work last night, I found the laundry done, the kitchen tidied and wiped down, and he spontaneously helped with the great assault on the underbed space by repacking all the camping rolls and air beds we keep there. I think my bout of getting things done-ness is rubbing off on him. He claims he did it so he doesn't have to feel guilty. :p Whichever it is, it's an enormous help and five shades of awesome.Next goal: wardrobe. (Muahahaha.)
Domestic ramblings
Mar. 1st, 2012 11:49 amSo, a few days ago I started following Unfuck Your Habitat. Apart from large amounts of cheerful swearing and a steadfast belief that baking soda and vinegar are magical, it has helpful advice on how to form a healthy relationship with your clutter, and useful tips on how to kill said clutter in the face.
The method reminds me of what bardling said about completion a few days ago: Tackle stuff in small, manageable chunks, with breaks, one thing at a time. The 'power of some' is mighty indeed.
The best thing about it, though, is that all those success stories on there are infectious. While housework as such is not one of my particular demons, procrastination is. We go waaay back, procrastination and I. But after a few days of looking at before and after pictures, I actually felt motivated to join in. For bragging rights.
( Stuff, it got done! )
Tonight, the bedroom. Tomorrow, THE WORLD.
(X-posted from tumblr. Apologies to people I've spammed twice.)
Things get better from here. That's my resolution. Considering how good things have got so far, I rather look forward to it. Hell, my life isn't anywhere near free of problems, but I know when I'm onto something good.
Last year,lordofthewheel and I spent Midwinter curled up in front of the fire in our new house. (That's also when we decided to get married, but then didn't tell anyone until August. Actual wedding next year and all that. :D) Anyway, this year we headed out to Brighton to see the Burning of the Clocks.
I've got this soppy affection for Brighton. I'm never there long enough to notice any of its flaws, plus it's full of lovely people - I seem to meet more of them every year. As we were walking along the sea front today, I realised I've known this place for over seven years now. Still seems it was just the other year that I first came for a visit. Bloody hell, how time flies.
Back then, I was fresh out of school and a little unsure about whether I'd get into uni. All my future was hanging in the balance. But I knew even then that I'd be back, and the years went by and I came back over and over again and built a life here. And today we stood on the Promenade together, with the sound of the sea and the drums in our ears, and watched the bonfire on the beach and the fireworks above, and it was exactly what a Winter Solstice should be. One of the ways, anyway.
I'd say I wish I'd known about all of these things way back when. But I think I could see the shape of them even then, vaguely enough. Can you see it? All ye spirits of Christmas Past, can you see it?
Merry Solstice, everyone.
Last year,
lordofthewheel and I spent Midwinter curled up in front of the fire in our new house. (That's also when we decided to get married, but then didn't tell anyone until August. Actual wedding next year and all that. :D) Anyway, this year we headed out to Brighton to see the Burning of the Clocks.I've got this soppy affection for Brighton. I'm never there long enough to notice any of its flaws, plus it's full of lovely people - I seem to meet more of them every year. As we were walking along the sea front today, I realised I've known this place for over seven years now. Still seems it was just the other year that I first came for a visit. Bloody hell, how time flies.
Back then, I was fresh out of school and a little unsure about whether I'd get into uni. All my future was hanging in the balance. But I knew even then that I'd be back, and the years went by and I came back over and over again and built a life here. And today we stood on the Promenade together, with the sound of the sea and the drums in our ears, and watched the bonfire on the beach and the fireworks above, and it was exactly what a Winter Solstice should be. One of the ways, anyway.
I'd say I wish I'd known about all of these things way back when. But I think I could see the shape of them even then, vaguely enough. Can you see it? All ye spirits of Christmas Past, can you see it?
Merry Solstice, everyone.
Internal clock reset
Mar. 20th, 2009 05:34 pmI stayed up for about 30 hours straight yesterday. Again. My body seems to get confused about time zones, and my bedtime sneaks ever closer to dawn, and I find myself waking up around three in the afternoon. The drawback of being done with classes: the thesis deadline is too far away to get me out of bed.
(www.xkcd.com/448 <--Yep, this is me.)
So from Wednesday to Thursday, I skipped sleep entirely. Crashed at 9 pm or so, slept through the night for a change, and was awake by eight. The results are rather startling. So far I've got more reading done today than in the last four days together, walked for an hour, shopped for some small necessities, and cleaned my entire flat. (The bathroom is technically Steffi's job, but a) she's not here right now and b) I felt one could only get dirtier in there the way it was...) What with all this domesticity, I should go out tonight and make up for it--if only that wouldn't switch me back to nocturnal in no time flat. It's disconcerting how much more productive I am when I put mornings at the right end of the day.
Also, it's the equinox today. Happy spring/autumn, depending on where you are. :)
Edit: my new desktop picture.
( Hungry? Don't click. )
(www.xkcd.com/448 <--Yep, this is me.)
So from Wednesday to Thursday, I skipped sleep entirely. Crashed at 9 pm or so, slept through the night for a change, and was awake by eight. The results are rather startling. So far I've got more reading done today than in the last four days together, walked for an hour, shopped for some small necessities, and cleaned my entire flat. (The bathroom is technically Steffi's job, but a) she's not here right now and b) I felt one could only get dirtier in there the way it was...) What with all this domesticity, I should go out tonight and make up for it--if only that wouldn't switch me back to nocturnal in no time flat. It's disconcerting how much more productive I am when I put mornings at the right end of the day.
Also, it's the equinox today. Happy spring/autumn, depending on where you are. :)
Edit: my new desktop picture.
( Hungry? Don't click. )
