5 Ways to Tackle Minor Inconveniences {01.17.24}

Hi friends and happy Wednesday! I hope your week has been going well so far and you are looking forward to fun weekend ahead.   Yesterday made for an interesting and very cold day between trying to commute to the office and freezing my tush off.  Thankfully I have flexibility to work from home, so I was able to go home and work and not deal with the ice and snow. 

During a phone call with my friend on Monday we were talking about how we have these little inconveniences in our lives that we seem to not do anything about.  

That conversation got me thinking, what do other people do to manage their small inconveniences? I'm talking things like... dead battery on key fobs, hole in rubber gloves for dishwashing, not enough shoe space, etc.  These are the types of things that are not really that inconvenient, but they are a point of irritation in your life.  AND often times, there is a very simple solution to those irritations. So I thought... why not make a list of ways you can tackle those inconveniences.  And, of course, I had to share them with you all.

1. Identify the inconvenience. I know it may seem silly to say this, but so often when we have little inconveniences, we're frustrated for a total of two seconds then move on from that experience.  To make sure you tackle that little thing, when it happens next time pay attention to what it is.  This could be super simple as finding a way to organize hair ties or something a bit complex, but allow yourself to really see the issue. 

2. Write it down. Once you've identified the inconvenience, be sure to write it down.  This can be the traditional pen and paper or you can create a note on your phone. Put all the little things you come across in one place so that you can keep track of what you're needing to address.  

3. Develop a solution. Now that you've identified the issue and written it down, it's time to figure out what needs to be done.  This could be as simple as ordering a new light bulb for that lamp that's been burned out for weeks or more complex depending on the situation.  Take a few minutes to figure out what you need to do to fix the issue and plan it out.  

4. Order/thrift/trade items that will lesson the inconvenience. Now that you know what to do, figure out what you're going to need.  If it's something as simple as replacing a light bulb, then all you need to do is go and buy a bulb (or order one offline).  But if it is a bit more comprehensive or potentially a bit more costly, then it's time to figure out your options.  If you need shelves or other storage options, check out your local thrift store, see if any friends have extras with which they're willing to part or if you want to order something new.  I know in my case, I tend to not tackle little things because it will cost money and that cost just doesn't seem worth the price.  But if I just take time to see what I have for options, I'd likely be able to find a cheap or free option.  So keep that in mind as you prep to solution the issue. 

5. Set a date for yourself.   You've identified the inconvenience, developed a solution and have figured out what needs to be done.  Now you need to hold yourself accountable and give yourself a deadline to resolve the issue.  It may not seem like a big deal, but fixing these little things can reduce chaos in your day-to-day life.  For example, my friend's key fob has been dead on her car for almost a year.  It's something that is frustrating and annoying and every time she goes to use her car, she experiences that same frustration.  And the simple solution is to get a new battery.  But people often get stuck in decision paralysis.  Hopefully, but writing it down and giving yourself a date you can start to take care of the little inconveniences and reduce your overall frustration. 

Well that is all I had for today! I hope you found this post interesting and will be able to implement some small changes to help reduce the number of minor inconveniences in your life.  Want to keep each other accountable? Leave a comment below and I will follow up with you in a few weeks to see how it is going.

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