When the Sun is Shining and the Laundry’s Piling Up: A Mindful Guide to Doing Both

By Jennifer Youngren, NDTR

There is a particular tug in the soul that happens when the light pours through the windows on a perfect summer morning. The kind of day where the world feels too beautiful to be ignored. The air smells like grass and potential. My swing in the backyard calls to me. The truth is—sometimes, I want to do absolutely nothing but sip my morning coffee in the sun and listen to the birds.

But the laundry still piles up. Dishes still need to be washed. Work doesn't disappear because the weather is nice.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve felt the tension between rest and responsibility. Between honoring your need for beauty and upholding the rhythm of your daily life. This article is an invitation to release the either/or mindset and embrace a more integrative approach. It’s about learning how to show up for your life and your joy.

I call it gentle momentum.

Start Your Day With Three Small Wins

Instead of trying to conquer your entire to-do list first thing in the morning, pick three simple tasks you can complete in ten minutes or less. This resets your nervous system, shifts you out of freeze mode, and gently signals to your brain: we’re in motion now.

Some of my go-tos:

• Start a load of laundry

• Wipe down the bathroom sink

• Empty the dishwasher or clean the coffee pot

• Make your bed

• Brush your teeth, or some other hygienic task.

  
  

This is not about perfection. It’s about easing into movement. Once you get rolling, you’ll often find you have more energy than you expected.

Practice Purposeful Procrastination

We tend to label procrastination as negative. But sometimes, putting something off is actually your nervous system asking for space. If the thought of vacuuming the entire house is overwhelming, it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to go outside. Sit in the sun. Walk barefoot in the grass.

Ask yourself:

"Am I avoiding this because it drains me, or do I need a reset so I can return with more presence?"

If it’s the latter, listen. Let rest be sacred. Let joy be medicinal. Let slowness be an ally, not a flaw.

Then, come back to what needs doing—even if it’s just for five minutes at a time.

Upgrade Your To-Do List With Mindful Categories

Instead of one giant overwhelming list, break your day down into intentional sections:

1. Essentials (non-negotiables like client calls, meals, school pick-up)

2. Maintenance (light tasks like dishes, wiping surfaces, sweeping)

3. Beautifiers (small actions that restore peace: making the bed, watering the plants, lighting incense)

4. Grounders (self-regulating pauses like reading, stretching, or having coffee outside)

This kind of list reminds you that taking care of your home includes taking care of yourself.

Embrace a Sunny-Day Pomodoro

This is my favorite summer rhythm:

• 25 minutes of focused effort indoors

• 15 minutes outdoors (swing time, gardening, birdwatching, or just being still)

  
  

Repeat this rhythm 2-3 times before lunch and you’ll notice something shift: the house feels more peaceful, and you don’t feel deprived of the beauty outside. Your body was never meant to run on stress alone. Let sunshine and movement feed your productivity.

Honor Meals As Ritual, Not Reward

At Pumpkin House Nutrition, we never use food as a bargaining chip. Meals are not earned. They are a vital part of living a connected, embodied life.

If the day is beautiful, let that enhance your meal—not delay it. Consider:

• Having breakfast or coffee on your porch or patio

• Taking your lunch break outside if you’re working from home

• Inviting your kids to help prep a meal and turn it into a picnic

• Barbecuing something simple in the evening to savor the transition from day to night

Eating mindfully, in a setting that brings you peace, is an act of nourishment that supports your entire nervous system.

Use Community Resources That Support Outdoor Connection

Don’t forget to explore what’s free and already available. By me, we have the Cornell Cooperative Extension, which offers beautiful educational gardens, nature trails, composting demos, and free programs for kids. These kinds of places are hidden gems for those of us craving connection to nature and to community.

If you have children, arrange playdates outdoors. Walk local trails. Bring chalk and bubbles. This doesn’t have to be elaborate—it just needs to be available.

Don’t Put It Down. Put It Away.

This is one of my favorite mantras for keeping things manageable: Don’t put it down. Put it away.

It sounds small, but it has a massive ripple effect. Leaving a dish on the table becomes five dishes. Tossing one shirt on the bed turns into a pile. Taking three seconds now saves you fifteen minutes later.

This isn't about being a neat freak. It's about removing obstacles to your own peace. Give your future self the gift of a reset space to return to.

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Choose

You are allowed to keep a tidy home and sit in the sun. You are allowed to tend to the dishes and your nervous system. You are allowed to build a life that balances effort with ease.

This isn’t about hustle culture. It’s about intentionality. Alignment. Knowing that your home doesn’t need to be magazine-perfect in order to feel like a sanctuary.

You are not behind. You are in motion.

You are not lazy. You are listening.

You are not stuck. You are learning how to live in rhythm.

The sun is shining. The world is calling. Go step into it—and then come home to yourself.

Got a question or just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you.

Email me at: jennifer@pumpkinhousenutrition.com