Cleaning consistently is a game-changer
A month ago I finished A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto, and it has had a pretty sizable impact on my focus, productivity, and well-being.
Like many, I have had good weeks and bad weeks trying to better myself and instill new habits. Until I started cleaning regularly I didn’t realize that merely having a messy room, no matter whether I was in it or not, was affecting how I treated my habits, my relationships, and myself. For me, cleaning is now the foundation for all of my other habits.
Some notable things that I really enjoyed from Matsumoto’s book are the following:
- Monks make a habit of cleaning every day, using it as a time to commune with nature and oneself.
- How one cleans is a reflection of one’s heart
- When cleaning, monks do not wish to be somewhere else or doing something different. They focus on making the best of the tasks they have in front of them
Cleaning can be a difficult task to start with, as it often feels like it’s getting in the way of things that have a more tangible result. However, the peace I’ve felt from focusing on cleaning has rippled through my life in how I organize everything and has quickly become one of the most important tasks on my to-do list.
Cleaning is a great place to start if you are feeling lost or just need to recalibrate your relationship between work and reward.
– austinthebean