Every evening I find myself doing simple household chores, and it is something that I don’t dread but look forward to doing.
Why? Because there is a limited cognitive bandwidth we have per day, and we cannot do things that require higher cognitive effort throughout the day.
Therefore, it needs grounding, whose purpose is simply to absorb the emotional and cognitive load we go through during the day.
I have realized from my life that when I do household chores as a way to relax myself, I feel deeply fulfilled and calm afterward. It allows me to enter a flow state, which makes me feel deeper joy in life.
And even if I don’t do them, I find myself mostly not utilizing my time for the highest leverage either. I end up mindlessly using my phone, which actually hinders me from doing deep work later on.
Earlier, I used to dread doing chores. I always tried to do them at a hurried pace, as if I were trying to run away from them. But now I no longer dread them. I actually look forward to doing them to ground myself.
What changed, and how does it allow me to enter a deep flow state?
Removing friction — both physical and mental. I no longer listen to music while doing chores. I simply follow the same patterns while doing them, which allows me to enjoy them. I also no longer believe in the narratives sold by the media about them.
I know doing chores is not going to uplift my life dramatically, but it teaches me the fundamentals that are required in doing things that really matter.
I don’t consider doing chores as something low, but as something essential to ground my nervous system and transition my energy.
This helps me embody deeper characteristics in life like humility, patience, and peace, and it allows me to enjoy simple things, which is essential for doing deep work. This shapes my character and helps me contribute more effectively to the world.
Most days we will find ourselves doing the same work, and therefore learning to enjoy simple things is essential in life.
Real change always begins with small iterations every day for a long time, until we pause and see how far we have come. This teaches the importance of enjoying the process more than the outcome.
Let’s face it — we live in a world where the rewards for our efforts are mostly delayed. Therefore, it is crucial to enjoy the normal work we do every day. Nothing grand, just simple work.
If you are a business owner, you might not see profits for months or sometimes years. If you are an artist, it may take a long time before the world sees your craft.
Therefore, it is crucial to learn to enjoy the boring work, and doing chores effectively teaches that.
In short, if someone can enjoy doing chores, then they can enjoy the boredom of their work too. And when they can enjoy their work, their output will be enhanced massively.
This way, the results become a byproduct, and we train ourselves to extract our sense of meaning and fulfillment from the work itself.
Ultimately, real fulfillment lies in the work itself. Learning to be fulfilled by one’s work allows one to play an infinite game — relentlessly refining the craft without waiting for validation from others.