When it comes to yard work, or many other applications in life, we sometimes find ourselves in circumstances known to some as “in the weeds,” meaning you’ve got too much on your plate. Looking out into your yard, whether metaphorically or not, you may ask yourself, “When will I ever get the time to clean up this landscape? I may as well scrap it and start over!”
Before you do anything rash, starting from scratch isn’t always the best answer. Chances are that you may have already invested a significant amount of time, effort and resources in your project and maybe due to life’s little distractions, things just got a little away from your control.
So where do we start when we’re overwhelmed? Answer: The beginning. Just like the seasons there are growth spurts and periods of dormancy. During the busiest of times always remember to stick to your fundamentals, your basic techniques and things that you do well. You’re not going to get it all perfect in one shot, and within two weeks things may be out of order again.
I always try to run what I call a “campaign of containment, not perfection.” I take care of the most obvious things first and then go back and work on the finer details. You’re going to have to do an allotted time and feel confident that you did your best and that through an ongoing effort you’ll eventually achieve your goal. When that time slot is up for the day, make your game plan and come back to it next time.
There’s been so many times where a problem presents itself and often I don’t have the answer that exact second. Often walking away from it for the moment or a few days will shed some new clarity on the problem. This has worked for me personally time and time again.
Until next time, Aloha!
Charlie Stonecypher is the owner/operator of Suncoast Irrigation and Landscaping. They help people (mostly residential) troubleshoot their landscape and outdoor areas, and specialize in products that work smart without wasting resources. Contact Charlie at 843-327-8642 or suncoastirrigation@gmail.com.
