The 2 minute rule.

I think we all have these lists of tasks that would not take long to complete at all, yet we always leave them to the last minute. These tasks are an inconvenient necessity of daily like.

The way I tackle those is by employing the 2 minute rule: it it takes less than 2 minutes to complete, I get it done straight away.

I apply it in a variety of areas of my life. House admin, for instance. Incoming and outgoing mail, bills, orders of toiletries. Nothing major and intellectually demanding, but in the past I would so often avoid dealing with these tasks. By employing the 2 minute rule, I get things done promptly, avoiding a backlog that can overwhelm. Every day I check my mailbox when I get back from work and I deal with any correspondence straight away. 2 minutes is enough time to skim through the letters, recycle the envelopes and possible file some of the papers so that I deal with them later. Paying bills or council tax doesn't take long, but in the past I would constantly put it off, now I just get it done.

I do still have extended times each month for 'house admin' when I make sure my finances are in order, check insurance policies and deal with utilities. But for the most part I handle things as and when they come.

The 2 minute rule can also be applied to household chores. I am not particularly fond of packing my dishwasher, but it does only take about 2 minutes to do it. Same with taking the rubbish out, wiping down the table and the counters.

Also at work, the 2 minute rule helps me to get on with little tasks straight away rather than waiting for a better moment. Trimming worksheets, arranging exercise books, cleaning the whiteboard. Little tasks that can be completed straight after a class, without putting it off until just before the next group of pupils arrive.

I found that I am less overwhelmed by small tasks when I deal with them promptly. I won't fill up my day with 2 minute jobs, but I will generally just get it done. It's easier and gives me more uninterrupted time to deal with what's important and what requires more effort.

Living on my own.

Some people wonder why I choose living on my own. I was often met with bewilderment similar to when I told people that I abandoned any ideas of a legal career in order to become a teacher.

I must say this attitude rather surprised me, since there are plenty of perks of living on my own. I can arrange the furniture however I want. And I can rearrange my interior however many times I want. No need for debates with housemates, flipping coins and arguing about the colour of the sofa or how soft it should be. On that note, no housemates. This is a major advantage. Other people are annoying. They have annoying habits. They leave dirty dishes on the table, forget to take laundry out of the washing machine, do not stick to the cleaning schedule. I'm guilty of all of those, but it's ok when I'm on my own. When it comes to other people, I simply cannot tolerate certain things. I can bear Mr Magic being around a lot, because I'm planning to spend my life with him and it would be helpful to accept his few oddities (especially since I have so many), but people who most likely are in my life simply by chance? No, thank you.

But what I like the most about living on my own is the total peace that I get in the mornings and when I get back from work. I can take my time without worrying that I'm in anybody's way. I can relax with a book and a cup of tea away from people after a busy day surrounded by noise. I can replenish my energy in way that would not be possible if I had people coming and going all the time.

Of course, there are some downsides. I do feel lonely sometimes. It would be nice to be able to dump all my thoughts about the day onto somebody when I get home. Or just have an opportunity to hang around with another human in the room. From a more practical point of view, living on my own is expensive, all the charges need to be paid by me rather than splitting it with another person. Not to forget that there isn't anyone to share my baked goodies with, which sometimes proves problematic (there is only so much cake that one can eat. And I eat a lot of cake).

All things considered, though, I do enjoy living on my own. It has taught me to be independent and self-sufficient and gives me a lot of time to do my own thing. I am looking forward to living with my husband in the future, but for now I am embracing my current situation and honestly if I were to choose again, I would choose to have a single-person household. It suits my personality and gives me space to recharge.

Also, have a sneak peek into my apartment. It's nowhere near to be revealed to the world, but my living space looks decent already.

Cultivate what matters.

There are so many demands on our attention that sometimes it is difficult to see the bigger picture. We get bogged down by day-to-day problems, chores to do, errands to run and it often leaves me with the question 'is that it?' Is my life about short episodes of busyness, worry, joy or delight, caught between each other, but ultimately rather fleeting? I crave for a thread that would join all the pieces together, that would give purpose of it all.

As I was setting my goals for the year ahead, I really had to think what mattered. There isn't enough time to devote your time to peripheral things.

One my my colleagues keeps telling me that health is the most important thing in life and that I need to look after myself first. It's a challenge for me as so often I automatically put other people first. But recently my physical and emotional health has taken a massive hit due to stress and simple winter illness and I am become increasingly aware that my wellbeing, understood in very much a holistic sense, is important. There is only one me. So I better take time to do those stretching exercises, plan nutritious meals and schedule health checks.

I've been living on my own for a while now and nurturing important relationship has been something that I am notoriously bad at. Beyond Mr Magic and my parents, I really need to take more time to become a better friend. I have some periods when I'm on the top of things, texting and calling the people who matter to me, but I know that when things go a little crazy at work, I let those slip. Thankfully my friends are extremely forgiving, but I know I need to appreciate them more.

Looking at these two areas, health and relationships, I can't help but to notice how grateful I am for what I've got. Overall, I'm a healthy person with some solid friendships. And beyond these, I have a beautiful home, a decent job, fridge full of food and plans for a bright future. Gratefulness is so important, because it changes your outlook on life. Instead of seeing the glass as half empty, it becomes half full. There are some psychological studies showing that practising gratitude improves life satisfaction. From my own personal experience, I can say that if I pause every day to nice all the blessings I was showered with that day, I am a much happier and optimistic person.

As my journey through 2019 continues, I know I need to stop worrying about the details and start looking at the things that truly make a difference to how I feel and think. It will be a long journey.

Budapest travel diary.

All the pictures from this wonderful, albeit short, visit to Budapest are credit to the most wonderful Mr Magic who captured all the beautiful sights while I just enjoyed the surroundings.