HARK! A January post that is not teeming with resolution advice, does not mention the dreaded C-word and does not follow the “new year, new me” ideology? What on earth is happening?

You just got home from work. The scene before you is pure anarchy, reminiscent of a challenge on Nickelodeons Finders Keepers (the good old days of game-show TV aka real reality), you find your gym clothes hanging on the dining table under the pretense of “drying” (they’re not drying, you’re just too lazy to put them away), the dishes from last night’s lunch/dinner hybrid are still on the table, almost as if they were set for your return today (with leftovers, still on the plate, and a sizeable serving of your favorite soft drink, now flat, still in the cup). You navigate your way through several pairs of discarded shoes, be it formal, sports, slippers or boots, all strewn haphazardly near the door, a false indication that the house is swarming with people.

It is just you, they all belong to you, and the house is occupied by a small family. An outwardly appearing messy-family.

It is safe to say, education did not prepare us for this. All our years of our formative years, at the primary, secondary, post-graduate and to some, undergrad and beyond levels did not prepare us for the task of running a household as a fully-functioning adult. Look in the mirror, you may look like an adult, in your suit and tie, with or without a beard, with or without hair atop your glorious head, or full make-up and designer bags that would be the envy of younger-you. However, the way in which you run your daily life is a far throw away from that of your closest living adults – your parents.

Let us deconstruct the scene and evaluate; back in the day, we’d walk into the house from school, find a hot meal prepared, even if both parents were working, the house would be clean, with everything in its proper place. A slipper thrown with ninja-like precision awaited any folly in the keeping of the house in a tidy manner, or for those that did not endure corporal punishment, a stern look and loud bellow affirmed we would not step out-of-line.

Then, the revolution happened. The internet exploded into our houses, our cars and every aspect of our lives. Remember how your parents always told you to make your bed? Well, there is a scientific argument that advises against it, saying a made bed invites critters and the likes, whereas a messy one keeps them confused and far away. Washing clothes you wore only once? Poppycock! What a frivolous waste of water! Air it out and wear it again unless it is visibly besmirched. And so on and so forth.

Not only are we busy navigating conflicting advice, our free time is completely eaten up by worrying about things our parents never had to worry about, such as which latest diet fad to follow to get in shape, how many steps you need to burn off last night’s pizza party, how to keep your child off the screen and still nurture and engage their mind etc. it is hectic to say the least.

However, therein lies the answer. The adults of today are suffering from a chronic case of information overload – our “downtime” is consumed by being tethered to the office through our smart-phones, meaning we’re never “off-the-clock”, the internet provides ample ground to answer every question, however there are always equal supporters to each opposing idea.

So what is the bottom line? Do not take things so rigidly. If you cannot find the time to cook at home, eat out, but ensure the food is a semblance of healthy. Get a part-time cleaning service to help with the mess. Simply put, go with the flow, we cannot raise the next generation as we were raised, for they are born to a different time than us. What once was normal is now not so, and vice versa.

Cut yourself some slack, and resolve to read more magazines – see how we slipped that in? Happy New Year!

Like the Rubik’s Cube, Ayman Nassar is multi- colored in his interests, from running to organizing races, stand- up comedy and internal audit, plus a little writing on the side. You can find him on YouTube or follow him on Instagram @LordAymz. Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash.