Get rid of micro-stress

Today, I took a can of condensed air and dismantled my laptop. Clouds of dust flew in the air and dispersed as I cleaned it. After about 30 minutes, I successfully (!) turned it on and lo and behold, the noise of the fan was gone and the core temperature dropped considerably. That, I expected.

What I did not expect was an intense feeling of calm. Like I just completed a long session of strenous work or finished a major project. I entered an almost meditative state.

You see, over the past few months, every time I opened the browser and went to any non-trivial site, the laptop started heating up and the fan spun noisily. And with the noise came an increase in my stress levels.

Then without it, my mind was at peace.

Those clothes you wanted to fold? That coat hanger you wanted to fix? The mug you wanted to clean? They are all sources of a tiny amount of stress — micro-stress.

These sources of micro-stress are barely noticeable on a conscious level, but they affect our mood in subtle ways. It’s like these things whisper to you of what you haven’t done yet every time you look at them. They make your room into an asylum.

Don’t let them.

Look around. What haven’t you fixed yet? What problem could you remove in a few minutes? What’s been a little annoying for a little too long?

The little stresses add up, and they compound over time.

Get rid of micro-stress and feel a sense of calm wash over you.