#14 [2023/CBR15] How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, L.P.C.

My biggest problem with chores, cleaning, and housework is procrastination fueled by misguided perfectionism. And now that I'm married and live in a real house of adequate size, with a cute but messy dog, my workload has increased substantially. I do realize that I still have it significantly easier than many others. I do not have kids to further muck things up or disabilities that hinder me, but I still feel that I am far from accomplishing what I want. So, when I saw How to Keep House While Drowning (2022) by KC Davis on NPR's Best Books List, it seemed like the perfect book to listen to on my commute.

How to Keep House While Drowning is a short self-help book with some useful tips when it comes to dreaded household and personal hygiene chores. Davis did hit upon procrastinators like me, but her primary focus was on people struggling with debilitating mental illness and/or poor executive functioning. She has tips for people who can't shower or brush their hair because they don't have the energy to get out of bed. Although I am not the intended audience for this information, it reminded me that my dirty house issues were small potatoes compared with what some people go through. Davis herself has two young kids, and has struggled with depression and addiction.

Davis's primary theme was to separate morality from cleanliness. A dirty kitchen is a dirty kitchen, it doesn't make you a bad person. Do what you can to keep people healthy and safe, but it never has to be perfect. Also, do what works for you. Davis realized that not folding her laundry saved tons of time. Sometimes she reruns her dishwasher with half clean dishes in it because she doesn't have the energy to put all the clean ones away. (This is good advice if you need it, but I have to admit, it makes me cringe because I'm anal and love clean dishes.) Think of chores you're doing today not as things you have to do, but as favors that you're doing for your future self tomorrow. 

I was hoping for some magical advice that would help me prioritize and feel on top of things, which was probably unrealistic. Although Davis only touched on my household chore issues, it has set up a (hopefully) healthier framework in which I can work. I like the idea that every little bit is improvement, and I like focusing on how much better I feel after things are clean and organized. I like the idea of doing myself favors.