“If you get stuck, draw with a different pen. Change your tools; it may free your thinking.” Paul Arden
A lot of frozen foods (vegetables, for example) are packaged in zip-lock bags. They’re supposed to be easy to open, but I often find myself struggling (and yelling, if truth be told). The plastic always wins.
I tried using the rubber grips for twisting off stubborn bottle lids. The rubber slipped and didn’t let me grip the sides of the bag strongly enough to pull them apart. I needed something that had a better grip. So, I got the bright idea to try using pliers. That did the trick! I was able to grab hold of one end of the bag while the pliers pulled the other end open. Those pliers are now a go-to kitchen utensil!
This experience made me think about all the “tools” I have to make my life easier, yet I forget to use them.
For example, I bought a garden kneeler seat to save wear and tear on my knees (and my back!) when I work in my garden. I used it immediately that spring and then stored it away for the winter. It is sitting just outside my back door, so I have walked by it hundreds of times. I still forget that I have it.
On a more professional note, I needed to submit a proposal to provide a three-day management and leadership training program. To avoid recreating the wheel, I searched my files to see if I had other lesson plans or proposals that I could incorporate or adapt.
When my file search was unsuccessful, I spent hours searching the web, selecting and reading articles to see if they would be useful.
Finally, a reference in one of those articles led me to a book that was actually sitting on my bookshelf. An excellent resource had been at my fingertips, but I had forgotten that it even existed. What makes this even sadder is the fact that some of my articles are published in that book!
The moral of this story is even though we have tools available, we overlook them and make our tasks more difficult than they need to be.
Question: What tools do you already have that, if you remembered that you had them when you needed them, could make your work and your life much easier?
May your learning be sweet- and safe!
Deborah
#DeborahLaurel #resources #tools
