The Bare Necessities

Photo by Luiza

Welcome back, Friday. You were missed.

I work with clients who spend millions of dollars on ad campaigns, think nothing of hopping cross-country flights to take afternoon meetings, and spend what I make in a year on a celebratory dinner with colleagues. So when these, my clients, say, "Jump!" I don't have time to ask how high--I find the nearest trampoline and wear out my Achilles tendons with a smile on my face.

This was one of those weeks.

In addition to looking for new tendons, today I am pondering my list of "bare necessities" when it comes to home management. Because let's be honest. There are days/weeks/months, even, when doing everything on our to-do list just isn't possible. So what are the bare necessities--the things that have to get done every day as long as we're alive? Below is my personal list of daily must-do's.

1. Make the beds.
2. Collect dirty clothes and put them in the hamper.
3. Empty the trash. (Overflowing trash cans. . .uglier than impacted wisdom teeth.)
4. Manage dirty dishes.
5. Keep walk-ways as clear as possible.

Are there other things that should get done in lieu of watching afternoon television? No doubt. But on those days when the number one priority is survival, we can't expect more of ourselves than is truly and physically possible. And certainly, doing the minimum is better than doing nothing at all. Always.

When my world is spinning like the tea cup ride at an amusement park, I can pillow my head at night with confidence if I have done the bare necessities.