--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The cleaning is something I use as a…" description: "\"The cleaning is something I use as a reward if I get some work done. I go into a very happy state of mind when I'm vacuuming.\" — Joyce Carol Oates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/joyce-carol-oates-344_cleaning_the-cleaning-is-something-i-use-as-a-rew_2168825.png" --- # The cleaning is something I use as a reward if I get some… ![“The cleaning is something I use as a reward if I get some work done. I go into a very happy state of mind when I'm vacuuming.” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/joyce-carol-oates-344_cleaning_the-cleaning-is-something-i-use-as-a-rew_2168825.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/joyce-carol-oates-344_cleaning_the-cleaning-is-something-i-use-as-a-rew_2168825.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/joyce-carol-oates-344_cleaning_the-cleaning-is-something-i-use-as-a-rew_2168825.png) > “The cleaning is something I use as a reward if I get some work done. I go into a very happy state of mind when I'm vacuuming.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using chores as a reward creates a positive feedback loop that boosts mood and productivity. **In simple terms:** Reward yourself with cleaning to feel happy. Key Takeaway Link chores to a rewarding mindset. Themes productivity reward mindset Mood motivational practical Type self‑help lifestyle When to use this quote - work breaks - home organization - stress relief - creative projects Key Concepts behavioral psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What small tasks can become rewarding? - How does this habit affect your overall workflow? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on chores may reduce intrinsic motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cleaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleaning/) [Cleaning Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleaning-use-4635520/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Vacuuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-vacuuming-4635519/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [State of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-of-mind/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Vacuuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacuuming-1167195/) [Very happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-happy/) [Work done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-done/) [Work Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-happy-839389/) ## Related quotes > [Happy Earth Day. I'm doing my part by vacuuming all of the dirt out of my car and putting it back on the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-earth-day-i-m-doing-my-part-by-vacuuming-all-of-the-dirt-out-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not wanting to scare my dog is the perfect excuse for never vacuuming my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-wanting-to-scare-my-dog-is-the-perfect-excuse-for-never-vacuuming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I find vacuuming very therapeutic, but I hate ironing. I usually have no shirt on while ironing, because I'm ironing it, and I end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/i-find-vacuuming-very-therapeutic-but-i-hate-ironing-i-usually-have/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-hall/the-act-when-vacuuming-of-running-over-a-string-at-least-a-dozen/) [Rich Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-hall/) > [Vacuuming is great. I do the laundry. I love washing machines. I'm the maid in my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/vacuuming-is-great-i-do-the-laundry-i-love-washing-machines-i-m-the/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I find vacuuming very therapeutic. I like the lines it makes on the carpet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-taylor/i-find-vacuuming-very-therapeutic-i-like-the-lines-it-makes-on-the/) [Christine Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-taylor/) > [“So does that mean you're neat and tidy, since you're a woman ?" I scrunched up my face. "Are you kidding ? I used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/so-does-that-mean-you-re-neat-and-tidy-since-you-re-a-woman-i/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [I never mind scrubbing floors, vacuuming or bending and carrying stuff. Each time I do it I think, this is instead of going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/i-never-mind-scrubbing-floors-vacuuming-or-bending-and-carrying-stuff/) [Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/) > [“My idea of vacuuming is borrowing someone's dog for the day and having them eat all the crap off the floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/my-idea-of-vacuuming-is-borrowing-someone-s-dog-for-the-day-and/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [I think I'm a better mother because of work, because I'm happy. If I wasn't working, I would just be waiting for the kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/i-think-i-m-a-better-mother-because-of-work-because-i-m-happy-if-i/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [We not only need to work happy, we need to work at being happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/we-not-only-need-to-work-happy-we-need-to-work-at-being-happy/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [It's the ultimate goal every day you wake up, to be happy. At the end of the week, you want to be happy. Happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/it-s-the-ultimate-goal-every-day-you-wake-up-to-be-happy-at-the-end/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [It doesn't really matter to me whether the 7-year-olds are big fans of my work. I'm happy just to be working at all. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-day/it-doesn-t-really-matter-to-me-whether-the-7-year-olds-are-big-fans/) [Charlie Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-day/) > [I'm greedy for work, and at times, I wish a month had more days, or the day had more number of hours, so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakul-preet-singh/i-m-greedy-for-work-and-at-times-i-wish-a-month-had-more-days-or-the/) [Rakul Preet Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakul-preet-singh/) > [You can only hope to get a combination of happy work and a happy life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/you-can-only-hope-to-get-a-combination-of-happy-work-and-a-happy-life/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Cleaning quotes > [We should get a Roomba for our Roomba. I feel bad for it because it works tirelessly, and at night I can hear it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/we-should-get-a-roomba-for-our-roomba-i-feel-bad-for-it-because-it/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) > [The government should set a goal for a clean environment but not mandate how that goal should be implemented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-lee-ray/the-government-should-set-a-goal-for-a-clean-environment-but-not/) [Dixie Lee Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-lee-ray/) > [The thought processes that go through my head when I'm playing a game compared to the thought processes in real life are very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-romero/the-thought-processes-that-go-through-my-head-when-i-m-playing-a-game/) [John Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-romero/) > [My mother worked as a maid, cleaning the fraternity dorm of the local college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/my-mother-worked-as-a-maid-cleaning-the-fraternity-dorm-of-the-local/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Western doctors are like poor plumbers. They treat a splashing tub by cleaning up the water. These plumbers are extremely apt at drying up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-parsons-burkitt/western-doctors-are-like-poor-plumbers-they-treat-a-splashing-tub-by/) [Denis Parsons Burkitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-parsons-burkitt/) > [A lot of people approach their barn or horse like they are going to war, because it's been going badly. So you pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-meehl/a-lot-of-people-approach-their-barn-or-horse-like-they-are-going-to/) [Cindy Meehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-meehl/) > [“The house was clean, scrubbed and immaculate, curtains washed, windows polished, but all as a man does it - the ironed curtains did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-house-was-clean-scrubbed-and-immaculate-curtains-washed-windows/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [He's getting dumped. And he doesn't even know it yet. He's probably eating a cheeseburger or flossing or picking up his dry cleaning, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-s-getting-dumped-and-he-doesn-t-even-know-it-yet-he-s-probably/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [ I don't know that Brandy \[Burre\] would ever categorize herself as being trapped, but I felt like I saw her being trapped. When she's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-don-t-know-that-brandy-burre-would-ever-categorize-herself-as-being/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“For those who set out to clean the dirt of the world, the best broom is their own clean morals, because you can't clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/for-those-who-set-out-to-clean-the-dirt-of-the-world-the-best-broom/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [ Any small business owner wears many hats. We \[New View Window Cleaning\] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats-we-new-view-window-cleaning/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [There's times when I'm cleaning the kitchen, and while I'm doing that, I'm singing and air guitaring with a broom to 'You Should Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-times-when-i-m-cleaning-the-kitchen-and-while-i-m-doing-that/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > ['Washio' provides laundry and dry cleaning on demand. They pick it up, clean it, and return it within 24 hours - and often with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-cohen/washio-provides-laundry-and-dry-cleaning-on-demand-they-pick-it-up/) [Yael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-cohen/) > [Anybody and everybody's going to get it. I'm not racing through my division. I'm cleaning it out. So if you want two L's, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-holloway/anybody-and-everybody-s-going-to-get-it-i-m-not-racing-through-my/) [Max Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-holloway/) > [The 6th of August in the morning we saw an opening in the land and we ran into it, and anchored in 7 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dampier/the-6th-of-august-in-the-morning-we-saw-an-opening-in-the-land-and-we/) [William Dampier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dampier/) [Browse all 651 Cleaning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleaning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The cleaning is something I use as a reward if I get some work done. 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