Every year there seems to be a growing list of chores to do before the end of summer. And with August more than halfway over, the anxiety over the list might just get the better of you.
In our efforts to be the most prepared we can for the winter months, we generally create a list of chores and tasks that we want to accomplish before we get snowed in. This year I have at least ½ a dozen floating around the back of my mind every day.
These range from simple ones, like ensuring the plants we want to collect seeds from get covers on the seed pods to catch them. Or getting our truck into the shop to get a few minor issues looked at before the roads get bad.
But there are also the longer or unpleasant ones sitting there too! Ones like cleaning the chimney and finish preparing the wood for the upcoming season.
Here is the catch though. End of summer chores will always be there. And honestly, they will also feel like more and more each year. Especially when you have a homestead to manage, and animals to feed.
A better way to approach the end of summer chores (or any chores really) is to first get them out of your head. Tasks left to fetter inside your brain always seem to grow bigger and bigger. Simply writing them down can help free up mental bandwidth and allow you to methodically approach them.
Instead of waiting until the end of summer (or winter) with a huge list floating around your mind, get them down on paper and work together to sort the list into doable chunks.
Knowing that wood splitting and stacking will take a lot of time, maybe you could plan a few weekends throughout the summer that the whole family jumps in and helps. Or grab a group of friends and rotate to each other’s house to complete the wood prep together. Turn the chore into a hang out with friends and family. Maybe even a big BBQ at the end of each day.
Other chores like putting the garden to bed are of course based entirely on weather and the plants themselves. However, you could plan ahead and gather supplies needed to can and preserve months in advance. This way when things are ready, you are prepared to tackle it without the extra stress of gathering first.
With a schedule and list of tasks, choosing chores becomes simple, and checking them off the master list becomes extremely gratifying.
Don’t wait until tomorrow to do what you can today. And certainly, don’t bog yourself down with massive task lists floating around your brain. Because that’s a sure road to anxiety and forgetfulness.