Why I Am Happy to Be a Robot

Linking up with This Ain't the Lyceum for 7 Quick Takes!

This week has been just a wee bit crazy.

My sister was visiting, and that was awesome and helpful.

But the evening she left, also John's birthday, we ended up in the ER for hours with suspected Appendicitis.

He's doing much better (still don't know what it was, but it seems to have mostly resolved), but multiple days being up well past 1am and having tag teaming nappers amounts to a very worn out momma.

But somehow All the Things kept happening: laundry done, dinner made, dishes washed, kids fed and cleaned, the house picked up.

And I think I've figured out why - I'm a Robot. And pretty happy about it.

Here's why being a robot is awesome.

1

I can get stuff done on very little sleep.

My hands just know what they're doing - my brain really doesn't need to pay too much of a visit. Fantastic if there has been a (cumulative) 7 hours of sleep in two days.

2

The kids know what to expect

No one fusses about putting laundry away because it's just what we do in the mid-morning. I noticed this week that they have learned when and where I'll be sweeping, and they have been moving their playing to keep toys away from the broom. Super smart those kids are.

3

I never have to wonder what I should be doing next

Each task is triggered by the completion, or start, of something else.

Kids just finished getting dressed? Time to put in the laundry!

Therese down for nap? Praying time!

Lunch cooking? Load that dishwasher!

In this way I avoid the panic of being behind schedule. Tasks take as much, or as little, time as needed and I don't sweat it.

4

I don't get behind even when life is crazy

Laundry can't pile up when it gets done automatically. Dinner happens because it's just what I'm always doing in the afternoon.

If I am unable to do my normal routines (if I'm the one sick, for example) it is very easy to convey how to get stuff done in the house.

5

It's a lot less stress

I'm never sitting there feeling overwhelmed about housework. I'm just getting it done on autopilot.

6

It makes it easy to troubleshoot

If something is consistently not working, it is a lot easier to try something different if you know your own routines and habits.

7

It lets the extras happen

I have time to do dance and have evenings free to do fun things with my family because all of the tasks can fit in my "work day".

Being a robot also means I can build in robot tasks for things that can be thought of as extras that really are not. Things like showering and praying. At least for me, these are necessary things to get done.

As a robot, prayers will not be done in a super "present" way. But if you don't start something, you will have  nothing to be "present" for. So sometimes God gets a half-minded prayer, but I'm pretty sure that beats no prayer.

So who else is a Robot? Come on, I know y'all are out there...