What a Beeping Smoke Detector Taught Me About the Power of Doing

Borrowed

“This is also why it can be so unexpectedly calming to take actions you’d been fearing or delaying—to finally hand in your notice at work, become a parent, address a festering family issue, or close on a house purchase. When you can no longer turn back, anxiety falls away, because now there’s only one direction to travel: forward into the consequences of your choice.”

From "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals" by Oliver Burkeman [Book]

Learned

Late Friday afternoon, after a long week and exhausting day, I was hanging at home with Mylo after his nap when I heard a sound coming from his room: a smoke detector chirping every 45 seconds or so.

This wasn’t the first time we’d encountered it. While I’d gotten it to stop before, I never fully understood why it happened. The smoke detector is hardwired, so the battery is just a backup. I had changed it the last time without any luck, but desperate for a resolution, I swapped it again. Nothing.

From what I’ve read, high humidity can also be a cause. With the recent swings in weather, I figured maybe that was it. I turned on the fan, opened the door, and gave it time. Nearly an hour later, still beeping.

Meanwhile, my dog Gizmo was unraveling. He had camped out in the farthest corner of the house, shivering like he was frozen and panting like he was overheating. Tongue hanging out like a wet sock. If you have a dog, you know what crippling stress looks like. I tried to cuddle the three of us on the couch and put on an episode of Bluey for Mylo, hoping it would help drown out the noise for Gizmo. Nope. He was too far gone.

Eventually, I left to run an errand. Part escape, part hope that the beeping would stop while we were out. But when we got back, it was still going. After some trial and error, I found the breaker and shut off the power to the detector. I had avoided this step since Dana wasn’t home and figured it would be a hassle to figure it out from the basement alone. Thankfully, it wasn’t so bad.

I was relieved the noise had stopped, but it still bothered me that I hadn’t solved the real issue. When Dana got home, we ate a quick dinner, and I got back to it. A little more Googling told me that smoke detectors expire after ten years. I removed the wiring and checked the label. Sure enough, ours was well past its lifespan.

The last thing I wanted to do on a Friday evening was go to Home Depot, buy a new detector, and figure out how to install it. I had never done it before, but it seemed simple enough. More importantly, I knew it would hang over me if I waited. I didn’t know when I’d get to it next, and in the meantime, I’d be walking around knowing Mylo didn’t have a working smoke detector in his room: just one more unresolved thing taking up space in my head.

Dana started getting Mylo ready for bed, and I went out. By the time he got into bed, the new detector was wired up, powered on, and working.

I felt like a superhero, and that’s why I’m sharing this story.

Not because it was a superhero act, but because of the reminder it gave me.

Taking action, especially on the things we’d rather avoid, has a bigger impact than we often realize. The task wasn’t complicated, just inconvenient. I didn’t feel like doing it. It could have waited. But I’ve learned that moments like this matter most, when the only obstacle is me.

We may try to separate work and life, but the truth is we carry everything with us. The things we avoid don’t stay neatly in one lane. They take up space, affect how we feel, and influence how we show up everywhere.

In his book “Getting Things Done,” David Allen puts it well: “Anything that does not belong where it is, the way it is, is an ‘open loop,’ which will be pulling on your attention if it’s not appropriately managed.”

A tough conversation with a co-worker. A tough workout. An open suitcase full of clothes from your last trip. These open loops seem small, but they linger. And the longer they sit, the heavier they feel. Soon, the mountain of unresolved tasks starts to feel insurmountable.

It’s not a new lesson, but fixing the smoke detector was a good reminder of how powerful it can be to take action. To stop avoiding. To clear space and move forward.

That’s the energy I’m bringing into the week. Prioritize action, especially when the only thing standing in the way is me.

PS: It took Gizmo some time to realize he was okay, but he eventually chilled out.

Thought

Where in my life am I delaying action even though nothing’s really in the way?