Breaking it down

A high pile of dishes in the kitchen sink is never a sight to behold. In fact, it is a nerve wrecking sight sometimes. It makes me annoyed and frustrated, knowing the amount of washing that needs to be done until I learnt to break it down.

I would first tackle the non-greasy or less greasy dishes. Less soap is needed and less work is needed. Once that is done, I can then move on to the greasier dishes and kitchen utensils, the kind that could easily come off with a good amount of soap, not the stubborn ones.

When it comes to the stubborn, greasy dishes and utensils, a paper kitchen towel is used first, to wipe off the greasy stains before I start washing them with water and soap. I find this method halves the time, soap and water that are usually required.

During cooking time, I feel happier when I divide the cleaning. I dislike piling up the pots and pans that I use. I do not enjoy having the sink to be covered with soiled utensils. I especially do not find joy in taking too much time washing up after every cook and to be thinking about cleaning while I eat. Therefore, I wash as I cook, before I start eating, just so that I can have a fairly peaceful meal knowing that the big chunk of utensils have been washed.

This method also helps as my kitchen does not have that much drying space available. When I am enjoying my meal, the utensils are drying partially and by the time I am done with my meal, I will be able to wipe them dry and store them aside to give space for the newly washed dishes.

Some may say that we use more water when we keep washing. But I found that when I break it down, the cleaning is actually easier with less soap and water used. It is faster too as I do not need to stand too long to finish up the washing.

I guess it is much the same with life, isn’t it? When dishes pile up, it is similar to having problems and work pile up. If we leave them to pile up, they would keep piling up, sometimes so high to a point of unsolvable.

Mathematics or chemistry or programming, where possible, when broken down into manageable, chew-able, digest-able sections, understandable sections, somehow make it easier to be solved.

It applies to many things that we do, come to think of it. For example, jigsaw puzzles. I remembered the first time I attempted a thousand pieces jigsaw puzzle, it took me months to complete. It required a lot of patience and eye power to work on it. It didn’t help that it was scenery with different shades of greens and blues.

Along the way, I learnt some tricks that when we break it down, dividing the pieces into similar colors, shades and shapes, and working the four corners or border first, it makes everything a whole lot easier.  As and when a section is completed, the automatic motivation that comes with it kept me going. It works similarly with Lego too.

In cases when answers and solutions are needed whether in exam or at work, I try to work on the easier ones first before attempting the more challenging ones. I break them down and divide them according to the amount of time needed to research and reply.

By completing the easier ones, it motivates the little mind and heart to work on the rest, knowing that time has been saved from the easier questions. It truly helps or more like it gives a peace of mind that at least some has been completed and solved. More time can then be given to work on the harder ones.

If at the very moment we see the problems or work, and we start working on them, breaking it down where possible, it helps clear the mind, sort the mind, giving it some space to be a little free-er and with it comes a happier heart to continue to work on the rest of the remaining work after having seen the parts that have been solved or completed.