Monday, January 10, 2005

20 Minutes at a Time

I’m convinced that life can be improved 20 minutes at a time.

We’re notoriously sloppy in my home. I hate it, but I have this theory that a life spent cleaning is a wasted life. I’d much rather be playing with EH and SG or out doing something fun than dusting or washing dishes.

So, we’ve instituted the 20 minute rule. We set a little kitchen timer for 20 minutes and we clean a specific area. Today, the 3 of us worked in the kitchen and dining room and in 20 minutes we had a perfect, pristine, tidy kitchen/dining room – complete with tablecloth ironed, table set and everything sparkling. We do it at least one time each day – and on weekends, sometimes 3-4 times (just not all at once).

I can easily get my family to contribute 20 minutes to cleaning – and, if I let them play, watch tv, relax or whatever afterwards, I can usually get them to do it 3 more times if I spread them out. 3 people, 20 minutes, 4 times. That means I get 4 hours worth of cleaning done.

It makes me think about the other ways life can be better in 20 minutes.

If you exercised for 20 minutes a day, every day, how much fitter would you be?

If you spent 20 minutes of solid, quality time with someone you loved, how much happier would you be?

If you spent 20 minutes reading? Writing a letter to a relative? Meditating? Foreplay?

Posted by Red :: 8:23 AM :: | ---------------------------------------