Shoelaces Are a Waste of Time!
A micro- life optimization you may not have considered…
How much time do you spend tying and untying shoelaces?
Is it fun/ enjoyable for you?
If you spend 5 minutes a day on this it adds up to 30 hours every year. Over 5 years that’s 152.8 hours, or 6.33 days! Just spent tying, untying, and re-tying shoes that came untied.
I hate tying shoes. It’s one of those activities that if I never had to do it again in my life I wouldn’t miss it. On a list with washing dishes, making beds, cleaning bathrooms and other things that don’t light my fire.
Of course, I spend as much time as possible barefoot, so I have a natural bias against shoes in general, but laces- no thanks
Alternatives to shoelaces?
Alternatives- slip on shoes, stretchy shoes, elastic shoelaces.
Elastic shoelaces? Yes, they make every lace up shoe a slip on shoe! So easy!
I spent a couple of years trying to covert my entire shoe collection to slip on shoes, and I was quite successful. Adding elastic laces broadened the range of the shoes I can include in my world. Tie them once and don’t think about it again!
To lace or not to lace…
I think that’s the end of my rant. I’ve run out of steam.
This article is an offer of how to optimize an area of your life you may not have considered.
If you want to take back some of your time and streamline a daily task that might bring you no joy- consider re-thinking your lace up shoes. (If interacting with laces brings you happiness, then disregard and enjoy).
Let me know your thoughts on shoes and laces and whether this resonates or is just the rant of an optimization-crazy madman 🙂