I enjoy washing dishes. I can’t stand the sight of a sink full of dirty plates and silverware. It’s almost to the point of neuroticism, I can’t remember the last time I’ve let dishes go unwashed for longer than 24 hours. There’s something soothing about the suds of the sponge, the white noise of the faucet, the rinsing of the plate or pot, grime washing away into the void of the pipes. I may have been nurtured to like washing dishes. It was my stepfather’s time to himself. My mom would cook dinner, then once everyone was done he would clear the table, put on his headphones, and start scrubbing away. I think I got used to seeing how at peace he was when he was washing dishes, and it started to translate over to my own life. In college, I used to wash the dishes to procrastinate from studying, or take breaks. I hated the fact that my roommates wouldn’t wash their dishes, so it got to the point where I would get impatient and wash them for them. For most it’s a chore, for me it’s an escape, a chance for me to not only clean the dishes, but rinse my soul and brain at the end of a long day. Washing dishes is my mental reset button.
There’s something blissful about having five to fifteen minutes everyday that are set aside for you to not think, while simultaneously accomplishing the small task of cleaning up after yourself. Washing the dishes was a small respite in my daily routine that allowed me to escape from the stresses of my life. A small break from the daily grind to not think and just do. The dishes weren’t going to clean themselves, and knowing I had so many other things to do, the dishes included, it seemed like an easy thing to get done. It became a small checkbox of my day, something menial that I could say that I got done. It became tremendously beneficial, to the point where I actually enjoy washing the dishes (and most cleaning in general). It became a physical manifestation of washing the stressful junk that was in my mind. Clean dishes = clean thoughts. The connection allowed me to develop a mental reset button, something in which I could momentarily turn off my brain, and upon completion, turn it back on. Like restarting your computer after it freezes, or resetting any of your other glitching electronics. The oil and food specs that wash away from the plates allude to the stress draining from my daily thoughts, allowing me to end the day on a small positive note and continue with the next day of the rest of my life.
You don’t have to wash the dishes to reset your brain, that’s just what happened to become my mental reset button. However it can be extremely beneficial for you to find something that will help your brain shut off for a small period of time. It could be listening to music, making your bed, staring at a wall, taking a shower, painting, or even scratching yourself. But it should be an activity where you don’t have to think or dedicate a large percentage of your mental CPU. The idea is that the task is mindless, and preferably is something mundane or that has to get done. It’s imperative to try a few different things, or take a few minutes to think of an activity that you already do on a daily basis that you could develop into your mental reset button.
I’ve found that after hitting my button I feel more relaxed, motivated, less stressed, and more focused. If I have an assignment or task I need to get done, but don’t feel like doing I’ll typically wind up washing the dishes first. In fact, before I even wrote this article, I knew I needed to write at some point during the day, but couldn’t think of a good idea in which to write about. I went and washed my dishes, and realized the very act was worth writing about.
A lot of what I write about talks to establishing mindfulness and finding ways to reduce stress and increase productivity. This is one small way you can continue to contribute to a successful and prosperous life. Find that activity that allows you to slow down momentarily, so that you clear your mind of any inhibiting sludge and sharpen your thoughts and fortitude for progression. Find your mental reset button.
Excelitarian 