I watch my family members make tasks harder than they need to
all the time. Then I catch myself doing the same thing.
This week I was watering plants, using a gallon milk container for
the water. I was standing at the sink. As it filled my wrist
started to hurt. I thought, “How about I set this down while it
fills?” Simple, pain free, and mind blowing.
Why do we make things hard? Our brain likes stimulation and to be busy.
They are always working – trying to understand, solve, decide, debate,
argue, influence, grow, or whine.
Even if something could be simple, our brain decides it can’t. It then
makes the task more complicated to get more stimulation – then we
can prove it was complicated.
It’s why we often get addicted to technology – to get information quicker.
It’s also why we stare at our phones, even when we have friends or
family right in front of us. Our brains think technology is more
stimulating so we often ignore the people.
Here are some tips for caregivers (and all of us) to make things simpler:
- Reduce time spent trying to control people/outcomes
- Say no more than yes
- Trust your gut
- Focus on one thing vs multitasking (I know it’s hard!)
- Make a daily plan and choose what you are and are not going to do for
yourself and your loved one ahead of time.
Reach out for a free 20-minute consultation to talk about making things simpler!
