A Timer, Flying Pickles and Giggles
A Spoonful of Sugar (and Maybe a Flying Jar of Pickles)
Growing up with my sister meant we were always finding ways to turn up the fun volume on the mundane. Even our daily chore of cleaning the kitchen after dinner was anything but boring. We mastered the art of speed, giggles, and checking things off our list like pros.
As soon as the last bite was eaten, we’d set our mission. How much time did we have? Operation Clean-the-Kitchen could be done in under five minutes. Or, if we were feeling bold, we’d take on the 3:45 Challenge. Timer set. Go.
We would race the clock, singing and dancing like our own in-house musical while scrubbing, drying, and putting away. My mom, a complete neat freak and stickler, kept the bar high—so the job had to be flawless. The timer always ticked away faster than we expected, but we usually managed to cross the finish line in a mix of laughter and triumph.
It may sound silly, but that game planted some of the most practical lessons I carry with me to this day:
You can get an enormous amount done in a very short, dedicated burst.
Singing, dancing, and giggling are the spoonful of sugar that make hard things lighter.
Challenging yourself to beat the clock is oddly rewarding.
Even now, I challenge myself to little “Speedy Gonzales” bursts of work. If I’m making tea, I’ll see if I can empty the dishwasher before the kettle boils (1 minute, 30 seconds). Emptying the dishwasher is low on the totem pole of favorite tasks, but sitting down to dinner with it already empty? That’s one of life’s tiny joys.
Sometimes I’ll do lunges while the dogs wander in from outside, or arm circles while the coffee brews. I’ve even been known to spot my husband’s car pulling into the driveway and race to throw in a load of laundry or wipe down the counters before he walks in the door. Little wins make the day feel lighter. As Gretchen Rubin says in The Happiness Project: if something takes a minute, do it right then.
Now, my boys won’t sing and dance in the kitchen with me (shocking, I know). But I’ve found ways to sprinkle sugar into the chores that need extra hands. My least favorite? Putting groceries away. So when the kids are home, I stage them like a relay team—one by the fridge, one by the pantry, one by the freezer. (And if you’re a friend visiting, you get drafted into the lineup, too!)
I start unearthing the grocery bags and toss each item to the kid in charge of that zone. And when I say toss, I mean toss. Jars of spaghetti sauce, a carton of eggs, a block of cheese—it’s all fair game. To this day, we’ve only had one casualty. The looks of disbelief (and slight panic) are worth it, and the squeals and laughter remind me why this works: it’s fast, it’s fun, and the dreaded job gets done without feeling like work.
And bonus: we make memories. (Though my kids are convinced their mother is crazy.)
I haven’t figured out how to sprinkle this kind of sugar on every task—my boys would tell you I’m still a world-class nag about their rooms. But I know this: if I can turn something dreadful into a burst of silly energy, I’m all in.
So fair warning—if you stop by on grocery day, you just might be asked to catch a flying jar of pickles. Don’t worry. I trust you.