When kids fell out of the trees

“Första gången jag träffade er, trillade barn ur träden.”

My sister in law recently reminded me that the first time she visited us, children were falling out of the trees.

It was a summer day and we were all in the garden. Our three sons were playing with their friends and yes, they were climbing the apple tree and falling out of it. My brother and sister in law’s Jack Russel chased our cats and our dog chased their dog. (He would always protect “his” cats, even if he would happily chase other cats.)

Yes, kids were falling out of the trees. Toys were all over the house and the garden was growing above our heads.

Now the boys are all teenagers and if they fall it is rather from a moped than from an apple tree.

Life has changed. It does all the time. Too often we forget to change with it.

We tend to add things all the time, but we rarely remove anything. Not only at home, but also at work.

Consider a checklist that is helpful when created. Over the months and years of using it, anything we come up with is added. Any small mistake must be prevented so another item is added. And another one.

Suddenly you have an elephant checklist that is never used because it is too extensive to be practical.

To change when life does, regularly review what you do.

At home – are you doing all the things you did pre-kids, at the cost of having fun together with your kids or your partner?

At work – are the checklists, procedures and meetings still relevant or is it time for an update, a decluttering?

Remember the great quote from Peter Drucker:

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.

We all go through different life phases. 

To enjoy whatever phase you are in right now – make room for it by removing what is no longer relevant.