Free Up Some Time

Tomorrow, I have two chores on my to-do list:

1. Vacuum the rugs.

2. Hydrovac the hardwood floors.

With that second chore comes a third:

3. Clean the Hydrovac.

And since cleaning the Hydrovac involves dumping water out of its canister into the kitchen sink, there’s another chore implied:

4. Ensure the sink is clear of plates, cups, utensils, and bowls.

Which, to simplify it, means:

4. Do the dishes.

Here, meanwhile, are four things I could do if I didn’t have these two chores that are actually four.

1. I could learn how to make ice cream. And by learning how to make ice cream, I would see how cheap the various ingredients are. The result would be that, whenever I was at the grocery store and saw ice cream, I would think, “That’s so much more expensive than if I just made it myself,” and opt not to buy any. But the thing is, because the process is time-consuming, I probably wouldn’t make ice cream that often. As a result, my diet would greatly improve.

2. I could run six miles. And on the run, I could find a bird with a broken wing. I could take the bird to a vet, who would say, “Where did you find this?” “Along the trail,” I would reply. “But this species… it’s never been seen in this area,” the vet would say. And then they’d call their friend, an ornithologist, and the ornithologist would research migratory patterns and determine that climate change was why they had rerouted. Eventually, the ornithologist would win many major awards for their studies, all because I took a run (instead of cleaning).

3. I could write an Oscar-winning screenplay. And sure, maybe “the Oscar” in this case would be at the Sesame Street awards, given annually to the grouchiest script. But listen, a trophy’s a trophy, okay?

4. I could sit and scroll my phone.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: some of the timing doesn’t quite add up here. But the thing you need to remember is chores can really loom over you. So you spend a lot of time dreading doing them before you even actually start doing them. And that time counts too.

That said, if I had a Roborock like this one, it could do all the cleaning for me. And then, when it finished, it could clean itself, empty its contents into the base, and refill with water, ready for the next day.

So maybe I’ll get one and see which of these four exciting options I put my time towards!

(Probably number 4, unfortunately.)