This morning, as I went to my first-hour practicum at Boulder High School, I couldn’t help but feel that, even though it was barely 8am, I was exhausted. I had dragged myself out of bed, gotten ready, then basically fallen down my stairs and out to my car to head into work. I felt frustrated. Is this just what life has to be in February? Is there no way to cure the seasonal depression/exhaustion that comes during that awkward time between Valentine’s Day and Spring Break? Possibly. But at my very core, I knew that my chronic fatigue was probably stemming from the constant feeling that my work, schedule, and house were spiraling out of my control. How can I cook and stay tidy when I have homework? How can I do homework when I need to prepare for my teacher training? How can I be there for my students when I’m not cooking and taking care of myself?
It’s a vicious cycle, and I’m ashamed to say that my housekeeping (like, literal housekeeping) tends to fall to the bottom of my to-do list more often than not. I’m a clean person– I love nothing more than a shiny kitchen, fresh sheets, and a tidy desk– but it’s hard to find time for what I usually perceive to be more “aesthetic” preferences than actual, tangible, school and work. However, during this seemingly endlessly long winter, I’ve begun to realize just how important taking care of my physicality is to my mental health and productivity.
When I got home from Boulder High today, I looked around my living room. The carpeted stairs seemed to be laughing at me, a perpetual reminder of how the winter mud and leaves have infiltrated every single corner of my home. I felt so depressed. It seemed like the dustiness of my surroundings was seeping into my subconscious, making me feel gross and worn out too.
That’s it. I thought to myself. I HAVE to just do the thing. I know it’ll make me feel better.
For the next hour and a half, I put on my headphones, blasted The Sundays (the perfect music for cleaning– I stand by that) and deep cleaned the stairs. First, I went through and vacuumed the dirt and other debris. Months worth of cat litter, broken leaves, and tiny rocks whisked away into oblivion. I immediately started to feel better. I wish I could do this to my brain, I thought.
Next, I got the bristly vacuum extension, and continued the barrage on my stairs. So much cat (and human) hair came up that the stairs were practically a different color afterwards. It felt good to clean something so thoroughly, like I had total control of all of the filth that had been accumulating there, and I could clearly see the fruits of my labour within the vacuum canister in real time.
Lastly, just as a finishing touch, I went over each stair and made the carpet look even and lined. This made the change in cleanliness even more noticeable, and I smiled at imagining the pleasant surprise it would be for my roommates when they got home.
So, what was the point of me describing my vacuuming process step-by-step? Well, I think that a lot of the time, us students put off the monotonous things, the things that we feel are just for kicks or aesthetics. We don’t take time to take care of our homes, our bodies, our minds. Why would we, when we have a million other things to do? But sometimes, I think that’s just what we need. Taking the time to vacuum our stairs, to sit and notice the progress we’ve been making and the ways our work has paid off, are integral parts of self care (which, I can tell you firsthand, is extremely important).
So, go vacuum your stairs. Or clean your stove. Or do your twenty-five step exfoliating skincare routine. Taking time to housekeep is the perfect way to reset during this long and arduous time in the semester. I hope you take some time for yourself today.
