Life: It’s All in the Details

The saying, “God is in the details,” is often attributed to the architect Le Corbusier. Other creative souls also use it when speaking about the intricacies of their work. On the flip side, some say, “The devil is in the details” to imply that the details might cause or result in failure or some other negative outcome. Then there is the school of thought, “love is in the details.” However we look at it, it’s the details, the little things, the extras, that make the commonplace, special.

You know what a big difference it makes to our spouses, parents, children or friends, when we do just one small special thing for them? Details can change moods and attitudes, put smiles on faces and lighten burdens. When we take time to add details in our own daily routines, we enhance the quality of our life and make each day at home and at work special.

But how often do we do the little things that count to our own benefit? When last did we add one thing extra to put a little sunshine in our day, make our jobs easier or lighten the burdens we bear? Little things count for us too. We should take the initiative and add some details to the simplest task or the normal everyday run of household chores or workplace duties. Even the unconscious natural human life habits such as sleeping, waking, dressing and eating for instance can be meaningful. We need only to give the process significance by infusing it with some carefully thought-out details. Here are some suggestions.

Details at Home

Housekeeping can be a thankless job. When you have children and must also juggle a fulltime job outside the home, well, you could be talking about overtime work with no overtime pay. It is an endless round of the same set of almost daily chores. And you can quickly find yourself moving through them like a robot.

Meal preparation is one area where you can add simple details to make it less of a chore and more of a pleasure. Clean the kitchen and assemble the ingredients and utensils. Half of the problem with cooking is our tendency to want to rush through it. Get a handle on that tendency by taking a shower first. Pour yourself a refreshing drink and keep a nutritious snack nearby to nibble on while you cook. Slip in your favorite CD, put on an apron for a change and start cooking.