Start with the basics

First we’ve got to clean up all of the rose petals that someone so inconsiderately strewed everywhere. (Image by Hans Braxmeier)

It seems impossible that life is going on for so many of us when it has been so brutally disrupted for millions of people who simply happen to be the wrong nationality.

Why am I allowed to be here, safe, typing this in a comfortable, quiet place? It's an unanswerable question.

I am not in a position to do much to help defend Ukraine; in any case, I have responsibilities right where I am. So even though it seems so trivial, I will continue to do what I always do when life feels chaotic: start with the basics and go from there.

Truthfully, it doesn't take much to knock me off my game. I'm such an extrovert that even something minor like meeting new people in a Zoom meeting can put me on a high that takes time to recover from. An unexpected event can also disrupt my stability.

When I'm ready — or maybe even before I'm ready — I seek to come back to center. Ideally, I do the thing that I already know I have to do that's been nagging me all day.

If I'm not sure what to do, I have a look at my to-do list, carefully curated by my past self.

And when that feels like too much, I methodically move through my inboxes, taking one email, voicemail, or notification at a time, making decisions and communicating with my fellow humans, until it becomes obvious how to prioritize. By the time I've done that, I'm feeling a little more confident about what's ahead of me and more clear about how best to spend my time.

Dana K. White, decluttering expert, says to start with the visible clutter first when you're trying to get your home in order. That might mean doing the dishes, folding the laundry, or clearing off the dining room table — every day. It's the boring stuff that is foundational to the rest. Otherwise, you're doing stuff that no one will ever see while the obvious mess gets bigger.

When I get behind on my work — when things get cluttered — it means that people are waiting to hear back from me and I'm at risk of failing to meet deadlines. The sink is filling up with dishes, so to speak, and the systems aren't functioning the way they should.

I can start with basics and take care of the "visible clutter" first. Soon, I will gain a bit of calm and momentum that will allow me to, on a good day, go deeper; on a harder day, I will be able to maintain my position or at least fall less behind.

Showing up to take care of the basics is what got me through the misery and overwhelm of the initial pandemic lockdown. It wasn't fun, but I got through it. Now, my ability to get through hard times has significantly improved, and I'm taking advantage of that resilience to move through the fear and anxiety of the current world situation.

Will it matter whether I email so-and-so back if World War III arrives? Nah. But I will still do what I can today to take care of my obligations. There will be groceries in the fridge, clean clothes in the closet, and a manageable amount of stuff left on the to-do list for the next day.

Maybe the basics are literally the least I can do. But sometimes, that's all I can do. But that work, however trivial, allows me to find equilibrium and keep going.

I hope you can keep going, too. And if you can't, that's understandable. Please seek the help you need. We're all doing the best we can.