I have a Tiger in my Box

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My son has been learning to read at school. One of his books is called, ‘I have a Tiger in my Box‘.

I have a Tiger in My Box

I love LOVE it. This is how it goes:

I have a Tiger in my Box, Tim.
You have a Tiger in your box? I will go.
I have a Tiger in my Box, Nan.
You have a Tiger? I will go.
I have a Tiger in my box, Sam.
You have a Tiger? I will run.
Come back. Here is my Tiger.

Isn’t it fun? The best reason why I love it is because it rings so true these days. I have a Tiger in my box these days… my tiger is called Chores! 🙂

I am not sure if something is wrong with me that I am so overwhelmed by everything, or if it is that life has suddenly become chaotic. Add to that that I have to work full time counselling everyone around that at the end of the day I go to bed with thoughts still active and my mind still working… leaving me more tired than anything. Chores, never go away. I tried organising and re-organising my house to make it easier to do stuff. I made routines for everything and everybody… I tried to prioitise but two days is all they last. If it was someone else, as in I was counselling and giving advice, I’d have asked them to get help from someone. Ask a family member or friends or relatives, anyone to help or atleast ‘chip in’, I’d have said. For me, this is where the ‘Tiger in my box’ rings true.

No, this isn’t self pity writing here. It is therapy to talk to yourself. 🙂

Anyway, so, I talked to myself. We, that is Me and Myself, have decided that we will co-operate with each other. We will shake our hand on this one… as it is, our survival depends on this! So, this is how I managed to get myself in working order when all things failed:

1. Blog/write about it: It doesn’t matter if no one comes around to read you but it really helps to put your thoughts on paper or on a screen. Also, you have said it, done. Now stop thinking about it. 🙂
2. Make a Chart and reward yourself: ‘What, I look like a kid’, you ask? No, I say. But your mind is’nt much better than one! It will not work unless you bribe it, sweet talk it into why you should do your dishes before going to bed. Give it a star or two and if it gets ten, get yourself some celeberation.
3. Praise yourself: … In front of others that is. Ah! I am such a good girl. Get your spouse to compliment you or raise your morale. (That is the least they can do… apart from thanking you for not asking them to do the job themselves!)
4. Do it Together: Find someone who is in the same boat as yourself. It is not very hard to find someone. It could be a friend or a relative or go online and find someone online. If you still can’t, then get on Pinterest and join an ‘Organising Board’.There are lots of those going around. Just search the one you like. 🙂
5. Need some place to start: Read up on Organisation blogs and Pages. Looking at other people’s organisational skills and clean wardrobes can be motivating. Then again, they may not be… but atleast, you sat online and read and stared at other people getting organised… that should give you full marks for atleast thinking about the ‘chore’. 😀

Hmm… What do you do when you are overwhelmed with chores and house work? 🙂

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