Unnecessary Tasks: A List
I’m all about learning how to do tasks well. Challenging myself to rise above and to learn new things.
But also.
I think there are just some skills that hold less value for me and that I have no problem with never learning to do them well.
Here’s my incomplete list of unnecessary (to me) tasks:
Folding fitted sheets. Sure, there are YouTube videos dedicated this. I just do not care. I’ve rolled them. I’ve shoved them in drawers. Currently, I roll them up and insert them into a pillow case and store them in a trunk until their next use is required. You can show me how to do this right. That’s cool. But unless you’re volunteering to tidily store all of my sheets for me, I’m not interested in learning this skill.
Pronouncing certain words correctly. This one drives my daughter crazy. Why can’t I say the word correctly for that whipped coffee she loves? Dalgona. I say it wrong. Every time. Iron. I say it with such a surprising accent that I don’t even recognize the word. Pho. It just gets mixed up in my mouth.
Cooking the perfect turkey. If the crock pot can’t handle it, why do I even care? And on Thanksgiving Day, surely someone somewhere will be more concerned than me and have their own special way to handle the giant bird and I can get a pass to make the mashed potatoes or a peanut butter pie.
Changing a tire. Sure, my dad required me to perform this task in his presence before my license to drive was granted, but I was 15 years old then and I’ve never performed this task solo since then. I’ll call a tow truck, contact Triple A or just walk home.
Learning to sew. (Or knit or crochet.) I’m envious of those who can. Legitimately envious. But here we are in my fourth decade of life and I think it’s time to concede that this just won’t be my calling. You won’t spot me wearing a shirt I made. Patterns make me feel like I’m two years old and even the concept of connecting rows of string to form something cute and wearable like a hat, let alone a pair of gloves, is completely foreign to me. You should see the paisley printed vest I made in seventh grade Home Ec. class, back when Home Ec. was a class we took.
What tasks would you add?
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