“When you care about something, you try to do it well. When you care about everything, you do nothing well, which then compels you to try even harder. Welcome to being tired.”
“Be lazy about the things that matter and genius about the things that don’t,” is what Kenra Adachi says in her Lazy Genius podcast. I heard about her through a friend and have listened to several of her podcasts. I am drawn to the idea of not having to do everything well – just the things that matter. As a former perfectionist, this idea is freeing. Her advice for life is very tangible and easily applicable to daily tasks and she shares that in The Lazy Genius Way.
I added The Lazy Genius Way to my library holds when I heard it was released. It was several weeks before it became available, but it was worth the wait. The book is chock full of specific examples of how to apply the Lazy Genius philosophy to family life. The book is geared toward women, but all the tips would easily be useful to guys who help around the house, too.
Instead of telling you what to do to make your life better and easier, Kendra tells you how to think about what you are doing. If cooking dinner every night feeds your soul and you love it, take the time to invest in it and do it well. If it drains you, create a system that makes it as easy as possible – whether it’s always having Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday and Soup Sunday or prepping all your meals one day for the whole week. There’s no right system – just the system that lets you focus on what matters to you and your family.
I really liked that The Lazy Genius Way ends the book with a focus on self-care. Often, the main caretakers of a house feel the need to always sacrifice for the rest. However, that’s not sustainable and that’s not a great way to live life. She suggests at least one day doing what you love every three months. Overall, her advice is: Remember what matters. Calm the crazy (what is one thing to do to prevent the crazy feeling you get sometimes?). Trust yourself.
(By the way, my absolute favorite thing she says is something I’ve been doing for year – do laundry based on where it goes because you can wash lights and darks together unless something is new!)
What is your best tip for being genius about something that matters to you? Share in the comments!