Gardening Takes the Edge Off

The stresses of life can be swept away by focusing on a weekly task that helps you refocus

Let’s be honest, life is freaking hard. There are bills to pay, jobs to find, and finding enough time in the day to drink another cup of coffee. Oh, there is also parenthood. Another “oh,” and it’s a big one, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. That’s right. Stress overload is a common occurrence and the idea of trying to situate oneself in a way that feels normal doesn’t seem to exist. What are we supposed to do when those big-time stresses seem too overwhelming?

Gardening. Yes, that’s right. I’m talking about that lawncare lifestyle. As simple, or ludicrous, as it seems, taking care of the lawn is one of those activities that allows me to refocus or cleanse my mind. Try convincing my teenage self that this was going to be a thing in adulthood. I would’ve rolled my eyes and got back to playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on my Super Nintendo. Boy, I would be surprised how things have changed.

Dealing with the mental stresses with regular life are challenging, but add on this seemingly never-ending pandemic and we’ve got ourselves “a case of the Mondays,” times 100! Throughout the years, this desire to mow the lawn, pull some weeds, or use a weed whacker while making lightsaber sound effects, it all presents this environment where you can disconnect from the world, or reconnect with your spouse.

DIGGING INTO SOME GARDENING HABITS

My number one thing to do before starting that lawn mower is to crank up some music. I wrap an mp3 player around my arm, put my earbuds in, and press play. It’s the ultimate disconnect where I turn off my brain and focus on the task at hand. There are angsty screams or heavy guitar riffs set to repeat and it’s a delightful way to block out all of the noise that clutters my headspace. The grass is the enemy and it must be cut down to size. Or at least that can be a fun way to approach it.

Seriously, I will kneel down to see if I’ve missed any wild strands of grass, because there’s nothing that mocks you more than a small tiny cluster of grass standing out after you’ve finished and gotten cleaned up. I don’t always edge the yard with a weed whacker, so sometimes I do miss those rebel blades of grass. But, when I do use it, the concentration level increases by a factor of ten. It’s an incredible feeling to lose yourself in yard work. No, I don’t actually make sounds as if I’m wielding a lightsaber. Yes, I do pretend that I am wielding one as I strike back-and-forth, defeating the evil Sith Lord — Darth Gladueis.

When I’m not rocking the lightsaber, ahem, the weed whacker, I will often sit down next to my wife and we’ll pull weeds together. It’s one of those simple ways to reconnect, check in on each other, or discuss home projects or vacation ideas. It makes such a monotonous task that much more enjoyable. In this case, you can clearly still listen to your favorite songs, which I have also done, but if there’s a way to jump into a conversation with a loved one while doing something tedious, the overall experience is heightened. It’s why I also love meal prepping with Meghan, or even folding laundry or cleaning up after dinner. Okay, maybe strike the last one, because doing the dishes is awful and I would pay someone to do that task for me for the rest of my life.

Gardening is not something I enjoyed at the beginning when I started ages ago, but I’ve leaned into it. I’ve looked at it as an opportunity to use that time to disconnect from the world, or my crowded mental space, and focus on this one thing like it’s my job. This is an exhausting endeavor that fuels my spirit and my creativity. It allows me to clear the clutter and regain that spark to write or even to get out of that mental funk that appears from time-to-time.

If you’re in need of a creative spark, a way to refocus, or to simply zone out by doing something easy, find a way to get into that gardening mode. It will alleviate tension and you’ll be happier for it.

Oh, and if you see me headbanging or bopping to tunes while doing yardwork, I’m so sorry you had to see that.