Finding Joy as You Complete Everyday Tasks
Over this past year, I’ve written a lot about finding joy. The truth is a few years ago I went through a huge struggle with joy. My life felt flat during that time. Very little brought me joy. I’d later come to find that I was going through depression and I had to realign things in my life. I need more sleep and consistent sleep. I need to shed things that were weighing me down. I needed daily exercise and better support. It took time to transform all of these things, but when I formed a healthy foundation I was able to laugh and feel joy again. Looking back it wasn’t overnight that my life became joyless and it wasn’t an instant change to move it back on track. Both situations were a series of daily choices made over time. Now I protect my mindset above all else. If I am feeling like I’m in a funk, I make small choices that day to find joy in little things. Here are a few practical ways I choose to find joy when I complete everyday tasks.
I Get Myself Outdoors
Maybe it’s a quick walk, sometimes it’s a country drive and other days it requires full emersion in nature with hours of hiking but I get my body outside and moving. Nature is incredibly therapeutic. Did you know morning light helps with chronic pain? Did you also know sunlight transmits Vitamin D and assists with combatting prevention? I’ve found getting myself out of my current environment and into nature helps me feel more joy. Restoring yourself in nature is always a good way to improve your mood!
Pay Attention to Your Energy
One thing I noticed in the process of finding joy was to pay attention to how I felt while doing a particular activity. When I spend time with people I pay attention to how I am feeling. Does this activity make me frustrated? Do I dread doing a certain task? What about the people I spend time with? Do they bring my energy up or down? As I started eliminating activities (and time with people) who negatively charged me I found there was a lot more room for joy.
Focus on the Present Task
I’ve shared in previous posts how I’ve dealt with anxiety. One of the biggest ways I combat racing thoughts is to slow my breathing down and then focus on the task I’m doing. I’ll set a timer for 15 minutes and just do that task until the timer goes off. When the timer sounds, I decide if I can make it through a second 15-minute block. During that time block, I do the task with focused intensity and to the best of my ability that day. You’d be surprised if you only have to focus on folding clothes for 15 minutes how intense you can make creases in t-shirts. Finding joy for me is to know that I did a job at its best!
Lastly, remember we can only do what we have the capacity to do. Give yourself grace. Feed your body, get rest and give yourself downtime. Some days you’ll be able to run fast and hard. Other days it may take every ounce of your energy to complete what you need to do. Make sure you reward yourself and on top of everything be obsessively grateful for the time you have here on Earth to make an impact. What task are you going to do today with as much joy as possible?
