The Tasks We Loathe
. . . and the surprising joy that comes when they’re done. .
A big thank you to Sezane, this week’s presenting sponsor. They have so many gorgeous styles for the holidays, New Year’s Eve, and beyond.
(Thank you for supporting our amazing, highly-vetted sponsors, who keep Fridays paywall free!)
Hi, hi!
I spent the past weekend doing all of my least favorite things.
Honestly? It was fabulous. OK, it wasn’t fun at the time, but the feeling I had afterward was positively magnificent.
Last week, we talked about optimizing.
Unfortunately, that relentless need for productivity and “doing more” only applies to certain areas of my life. While I am pretty on the ball with my work and the tasks I enjoy (cooking, select chores, cute things like holiday cards and decorating), there are some routine responsibilities that I absolutely detest. Here is a brief list of things I absolutely despise doing (please share yours in the comments to make me feel better!):
Spending money on things I cannot see. Like when I moved into my house and had to install new ductwork. It cost a fortune, with no visible/tangible results or benefits.
Unloading the dishwasher. (I love loading it though.)
Submitting health insurance claims.
Changing the duvet cover. Honestly, this is the main reason I have a housekeeper. I like most chores but changing the duvet exhausts me.
Taking out the trash. I will push it down and down until the bag is ready to burst.
Opening my mail, unless it is something fun.
Logging my expenses into QuickBooks.
Anything tax-related. I always wait riiiight until the very last minute to get everything done for my accountant.
Anything doctor-related. Making the appointment, actually going, etc.
Changing the air filters in my house. (See below.)
Sending invoices. Luckily my manager does most of these.
Cashing checks.
Honestly? This is bad, but: anything that requires picking up the phone and calling someone.
Work has been intense—as has my social life, frankly—and the holidays always mean more personal tasks than usual (shopping, holiday cards, decorating). As a result? I let my life admin really pile up.
Just before Thanksgiving, the heating in my house broke. I was in denial. Work was chaotic and I was filming or shooting in the house most days, so I put off calling my HVAC company to look at it. We had a cold front last week and I was sick . . . I literally worked under a blanket in slippers and a robe rather than picking up the phone to just call someone. I am not proud of this!
Saturday morning rolled around. As I sat at my dining table eating breakfast, I realized my toes were slightly numb. I called my HVAC company. Bless them, they work weekends. They came on over and within five minutes identified the problem. (This is so embarrassing, I almost didn’t tell you . . . I left this part out when I told my dad!) Nothing was actually broken. The heat wasn’t working because I had forgotten to change my air filter. The filter was so dirty that it was blocking the vent, so no air was being pulled in, which in turn shorted out the furnace. This was wonderful news as there was no costly repair, but I was slightly mortified. I changed the filters . . . he reset the system, and voila: heat. I laughed because I did two things I hate doing (picking up the phone and changing my filters) that each took less than five minutes. But why do those things when you can silently suffer in a cold house? It’s much more fun that way.
Once my heat was working, I felt inspired to tackle all of the other things I hate doing. I organized my bed linens and cleaned out my fridge. I addressed my pantry which was an absolute disaster. And most importantly, I got through a dreadfully tall pile of mail. I found: checks to cash, a bill that was just days away from being overdue, a membership card to my art museum, a prescription that I’d sworn was “lost,” a new debit card that needed to be activated . . . it was a real treasure trove.
It felt so good. Now I just need to a) bottle that feeling for when tax time comes ’round and b) not let the mail pile up! Easier said than done. But I thought I’d share this somewhat awkward story with you in case it’s motivating. The things we hate doing feel especially good to have done.
You know this by now, but I am a huge Sezane lover. With the weather getting colder and the holidays coming up, I’m feeling a more moodier vibe than usual. I really love mixing black and navy. Especially with a navy top, as black can look a bit harsh next to my face. The turtleneck/trouser combo I’m wearing up top is a winner. I love that the sweater is so soft and warm without being super bulky. I do recommend sizing up in the trousers. Add in these (ultra-comfortable but still very feminine) heels and a clutch with a chain strap that feels like jewelry: the perfect warm and cozy but also very elegant look.
More to discuss:
This sequin jacket is a stunner. Drape it over your shoulders or pair it with a high-waisted skirt or pants.
This lace blouse, omg. You could wear it over a camisole or just do a black bralette.
This structured tube top is so chic and modern. And it looks great with the trousers.
A fancy and fun round-up of metallics. So many incredible pieces.
The big party edit. Loads of fun outfit inspiration.
A review of Kroma. This has been a popular request, so I finally wrote a longer post about it.
I am hell-bent on hitting my 100 books for the year goal (I am so close — I need to read 8 books this month to hit my goal, but it’s tricky with all the holiday social plans!). What does this mean for what I’m reading? Lots more candy (light!) reads this month.
I gobbled up The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak in just a couple days. I loved his first book, Hidden Pictures and this did not disappoint. It’s told from the perspective of Frank, a blue-collar guy who is worried about his daughter’s impending marriage into a very wealthy family. Is he just overly nervous, or is something darker at play? Loads of twists and turns and very fun to read.
You Can Trust Me, by Wendy Heard was a fun, read-in-a-day thriller. Leo and Summer are best friends and also con-artists + co-conspirators. They live in Summer’s van and have become very resourceful over the years. When Leo sets her sites on a tech billionaire, things go awry: she heads to his private island overnight, and disappears. Summer is determined to figure out what happens. It is a little unbelievable and off-the-rails, but still a very fun read.
After those two, I started The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I think this may have been a recommendation, but I am not positive. I’ve read a few of her other books. It’s a fun read so far. I wasn’t anticipating getting into a series of books but ordered the next two.
On the audio front, I finished Momfluenced. Loved it. Longer review here. Now it’s onto Didion & Babitz, which I have been eagerly waiting to read.
I literally have started putting Life Admin on my calendar and devoting a few hours a week to this stuff -- seeing it calendered helps it for piling up too terribly for me. - J
I loathe many of the same the same things you have listed, especially scheduling appointments. Gretchen Rubin from the Happiness Project has a concept called “power hour” where she recommends tackles things on a to-do list you have been procrastinating to do. I find this really helpful. For some reason grouping them and tackling them at once makes it easier to do and I feel great when it’s done.