Have you heard about the spoon theory? I read about this over the holiday season and tried to explain it to others who fell around laughing. But listen. As we age, become disabled, are disabled, depressed, challenged, tired, no energy, diseased, we can apply the spoon theory to ourselves.
This is how it started:
"The term spoons in this sense was coined by Christine Miserandino in 2003 in her essay "The Spoon Theory".[8][9] The essay describes a conversation between Miserandino and a friend.The discussion was initiated by a question from the friend in which she asked about what having lupus feels like. The essay then describes the actions of Miserandino, who took spoons from nearby tables to use as a visual aid. She handed her friend twelve spoons and asked her to describe the events of a typical day, taking a spoon away for each activity. In this way, she demonstrated that her spoons, or units of energy, must be rationed to avoid running out before the end of the day. Miserandino also asserted that it is possible to exceed one's daily limit, but that doing so means borrowing from the future and may result in not having enough spoons the next day. Miserandino suggested that spoon theory can describe the effects of mental illnesses as well."
My ideal is under 30 spoons per day. But some days, like yesterday, I run it up to 33 spoons. Why? If I do my laundry that necessitates very long trips to the laundry room. We can only use one machine at a time and if there are many loads, that's a lot of walking. We don't complain as it's free. So each laundry load to me is 4 spoons as each trek up and down the hall is .25 of a kilometre. So today I have to compensate for that, which I am and I'm subtracting those 3 spoons from today.
My spoon sheet:
And yeah the Kondo-ization of some of us. I take what I can apply to my own life from her and discard the rest. But her drawer theory? Love it.
for instance here is my kitchen drawer:
A lot to be said for it. Not all of it, but a lot of it. I still have to deal with photos and unhung pictures.
I am all too familiar with the spoon theory - and the (high) price we can pay for going over our allotment.
ReplyDeleteRest up as best you can.
Love your Kondo-d drawer.
I hadn't recognised the high price until recently EC. I have long conversations (with head set) with distant friends and that takes about 3-4 spoons especially if I multi-task with knitting :)
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Ha ha, spoons and drawers, love it! I have Kondo-ized a few drawers too! And yes, the spoon theory definitely applies to aging.
ReplyDeleteWe can expend far too much without noticing. I find socializing takes a lot out of me at times.
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I’ve never heard of the spoon theory before but it is absolutely right on. I’m not sure how many spoons I am now but it is about 1/3 what it was was. I’ll try to figure out my spoon number tomorrow. I’m just too tired to try to figure it out this evening.
ReplyDeleteI too like only some Kondo.
Florence it is very interesting if you print off one of their sheets and add up. Getting out of bed is one spoon and also dressing can be variable if we go all fancy. :)
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I like both ideas .
ReplyDeleteSome days it feels like I need a shovel / for I have no spoons.
Time to crawl back to bed on those days Gemma as we can be shy so many spoons from the day before. I'm still catching up to yesterday, I feel it was more than 33 and it probably was as I didn't count designing a pattern for a scarf. LOL.
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That's one of those Kondo methods to have everything standing upright? Don't take offence, but I don't like it one bit. I have all my things folded of course, but then they are stacked in nice square piles within the drawers.
ReplyDeleteYes, no offence, I'm highly visual and I like to be able to see everything - I hate cabinet doors for instance, prefer open shelves as I tend to lose track of supplies, etc.
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You've inspired me to (when I get home) reorganize the kitchen drawer that has dishcloths jammed into it, in a pile that always kinda bugs me. Why didn't I think of that? -Kate
ReplyDeleteIt's a triple fold thing. Even with socks. See all at a glance. I do love it.
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I did my closet and most of the drawers a couple of years ago when the book first came out and I have kept them that way! I love that I can see all that is in the drawer. I did not do the rest of the house, I had no interest in that.
ReplyDeleteThe spoon theory is new to me tho I have been aware of my limitations for quite a while. I do trade offs....if I do this today then I can't do.. fill in the blank. I have also noticed that I now do things right away that previously I would have put off. I have the mentality of fold this, put this away, look for this etc. now while you are able for you might not feel up to it for days! This sounds like I would be very organized but no, just more organized than previously. I still have a long way to go. ;)
One more new theory learned. Thank you. Since I live with my son and daughter in love, there is little that I have to do for the home. My personal space is so simple and minimalist that it hardly takes a few minutes of my time every day. My routine takes care of my spoons unless I have to leave the home to visit or attend some function or the other. I am blessed!
ReplyDeleteRe the spoon theory, I don't find my energy levels are that predictable. If I've overdone it a bit one day, I may well have enough energy to overdo it again the next day. Or the opposite with low energy levels. I think the important thing as I get older is to streamline everything as much as possible, so I need less energy to do things and can handle everything quite easily.
ReplyDeleteI have read about and understand the spoon theory but somehow it doesn't resonate for me.
ReplyDeleteMy son showed me that method of folding before Kondo even came on the scene. He was still in high school and one day he offered to organize my dresser drawers for me by folding everything so it stood on end. I was a convert!