Seasons of Tasks
The mornings are getting colder and the animals are preparing for winter. Another weather change is coming. And it’s a great reminder that we, too, should be preparing for the next season.
A few times per week, I’ve been taking Cutie on a bike ride. We have one of those pull-behind carts that I strap her into. And she loves it! For a while she would even squeal as we went down hills. Talk about great inspiration for climbing hills.
This past Saturday I had pulled out the bike and was getting everything ready for another ride. It was cooler than it had been so I had an extra layer on and made sure Cutie was bundled up. It wasn’t enough. We started out on our normal route and I quickly noticed the wind. I was going to have my work cut out for me.
Our normal route is pretty open and the wind was really intense — not to mention cold. It wasn’t long and I was done. I had used all my energy fighting the wind and was starting to get cold as well. If I was getting cold, then I knew Cutie would be worse. We would have to head home early.
In retrospect, I know we didn’t have to follow our normal route. We could have gone a different way that was sheltered from the wind. But I failed to account for the rapidly changing season and the wind that comes with it in Minnesota. I didn’t think ahead.
The Season Changes What You Do
How often do we do this? We get used to a pattern or routine and create a mess for ourselves when the weather changes. I know I’m terrible at it.
Whether it’s outdoor tasks versus indoor tasks, or a change in what you do for work doesn’t matter. We all deal with changes throughout the year in some form. The changes in weather determine if you’re raking leaves, building decks, or throwing snow.
But do you plan ahead for those changes? For some things I do but not for others. Though I’m getting better about it overall, I still go on bike rides under-prepared. I forget to finish the railing on the deck until it’s cold outside — and possibly snowing. Here’s an example of a quick system for Spring and Fall tasks. This could easily be used for holidays and traditions, birthdays, spring cleaning, and many others.
Seasonal Checklists
In the Spring, there are a number of things that need to be done. Turn on the water to the outdoor spigots, service the mower, oil the springs on the garage door (who even knew you were supposed to do that?), put the screens back in the windows, change the furnace filter, and a few others.
These tasks happen every year. So it made sense to create a Spring Maintenance checklist. And since I’m always learning of more things that I’m supposed to do for Spring or Fall maintenance, (like oiling garage door springs), I’m always adding to the list.
Be prepared for upcoming changes that you know about. You know when Christmas is coming so you can save money in advance — as opposed to waiting and putting everything on a credit card. You know roughly when Winter is coming, so you can put things away and plan for it. Don’t be like me and realize what you need to do when it’s too late and your daughter’s nose is pink from the cold.
