'Just Do It' Gardening

13 years ago

I have been playing this just do it game with myself this summer. It's like when I see a weed, I pull it. When something needs staked, I go get the darn stake and stake it. When I drive up the drive and I see a bunch of zinnias that need deadheading, I just do it. I don't make a note. I don't put the groceries away first. I don't tell myself I'll do it later after I fold the laundry.

The truth is that it has been working so successfully. I am in a different phase of life now with the kids out of the house and I'm working from home so I have a lot more flexibility than I used to. And I don't spend as much time dressed up in work clothes, but I will tell you this silly mind game has pushed me thru a lot of what needed to happen this year to get my gardens back together.

So I will start procrastinating again soon, but I felt so darn good after doing a bed today before putting groceries away I had to post.

;)

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Comments (8)

scully931
13 years ago
That's a really good way to do it. (As long as you don't have ice cream in the car)

I, too, changed my attitude a bit this year. Instead of looking at the overwhelming amount to do to keep things looking nice, I pick one thing. THEN STICK TO IT. (That last part was always my downfall) If I say I'm just weeding the tropcial garden, then I just weed the tropical garden. I don't venture over to the cottage area and start poking around.

I've been enjoying things much more this way.
natal
13 years ago
Down here 'just do it' would mean getting soaked within 5 minutes. I have to make lists and be prepared to be miserable while I'm knocking things off.

Today I worked outside for about two hours. After I came in and took a shower I remembered I forgot to water the porch plants. Back outside for five minutes and I was soaked again. I hate this time of year!!!
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Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
13 years ago
Scully, I've been trying to do the same thing this year. I always stray from the task at hand. I'll go out to deadhead the cottage garden and then find myself in the backyard pulling weeds. It always amazes me how focused I am with work and my family but then have this case of Gardener's ADHD or something! I have been trying hard to make a conscious effort to stick with the task I've gone out to do!

Cindy, Someday I hope to be able to work up to what you are now doing. I'm sure it's very efficient and rewarding at the same time. I can however safely say that laundry will NEVER get folded before gardening!
Pat z6 MI
13 years ago
Whew! I'm not the only one. What a relief. Made my day. Love you!
gottagarden
13 years ago
If I "just did it", I'd never get more than 20 feet from the backdoor!

I have too much and am swamped, and focus on whatever is most urgent, not what is closest.
bev2009
13 years ago
It's amazing how so much of what we struggle with is actually all in the mind. I've played a similar "game" for years now called the "15 minute gardener." It is so easy to get overwhelmed and not venture outside to do anything. So I just tell myself I'm going to work for only 15 minutes. That gets me out of the house and I usually end up working for much more. And that's OK because I love it. It's just that push I need to get out the door and dig in.
tressa
13 years ago
I guess we all have that "overwhelmed" problem. I am so scattered when gardening. So much needs to be done that I usually don't know where to start...so I do a little here and a little there. It is hard to focus...always thinking about something else I need to do. Then, I am distracted by the beauty of it all and try not to be so hard on myself!!! I love to water so I can just enjoy the scenary.
cindysunshine
Original Author
13 years ago
Right this does not get the big jobs done and maybe it makes me procrastinate at those longer.

I get scattered, too. I guess I find if I just do the really annoying things they don't take long and it helps me to gain better perspective on what really needs to be done when I can devote a longer block of time.

I'm awful at going out to handle one area and work on three other things and never get to what needed done several hours later. I think there is just always so much that must be done and could be done...