Member-only story
MUSIC
Dancing with the House
Housework Rocks!
Terry Gross used to help me clean my bathroom.
I’d download new episodes of “Fresh Air,” but wouldn’t listen to them unless I was doing housework. Terry was a fantastic motivator. I didn’t want to do the dishes or make the bed. But I did want to hear Terry’s interview with Marc Maron.
Then I read in Consumer Reports that “light activity such as walking, yard work and even dancing offers significant health benefits. The weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels of light exercisers were comparable with those of more intense exercisers.”
Housecleaning. It wasn’t just a chore — it was light exercise!
I had just fallen in love with the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. “Happy,” perfectly named, is real mood elevator. It’s a song that makes you want to jump up and dance.
So I decided to try a little experiment. I swapped “Happy” for Terry as my housework soundtrack. And it worked! When those first notes hit, I wanted to move. Before I knew it, I was dancing around the bathroom cleaning up a storm.
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
