Why I Mow My Lawn

Why I mow my lawn has a lot to say about who I am and how I think about solving problems. I know ... it sounds like a crazy example but hear me out.

Problem Statement: Grass grows and it requires mowing

Optimization Goal: Maximize overall value to myself and family

• Solution #1: Replace the grass with artificial grass or rocks etc so mowing the grass is no longer required
• Solution #2: Pay for a service to mow the lawn
• Solution #3: Mow the lawn myself

So, let's think through these solutions to figure out which option makes the most sense (in the way I think about them) to maximize overall value for myself and family.

#1 Replace Grass: The pros are that you've eliminated the problem, at least temporarily. But you may have inadvertently created new problems. With artificial grass it will eventually get discolored and require replacement and with rocks or other solutions you will still have weeds that grow and require work to get rid of them. Additionally, this solution reduces the market value of my property and reduces the fun for my kids playing outside. Who wants to bragg and say I bought a house with artificial grass?!?!

#2 Just Pay: The pros are you mostly don't have to worry about it, you just pay. Every single person on my street except myself chooses this option, so I realize I'm in the minority. Frequent quotes from my neighbors are "it saves me time" or "mowing the lawn is a sweaty hassle". The cons are really that it costs money which everyone on my street has no issue with. There is a problem, the way I think about it there is a contradiction in logic. The same neighbors who pay $40 per week to have their lawn mowed because it "saves time" and is a "sweaty hassle" also pay $120 per month for a gym membership so they can drive to a gym and sweat. Maybe going to the gym brings them more joy or has a value to them that I don't? It's not clear to me because the gym never brought me joy. So in their free time they'd rather drive to a gym and park and then workout on a hamster wheel while at the same time paying someone to mow your lawn? For me the logic doesn't add up.

#3 Do it Myself: I'll start with the cons. It's a sweaty job. It's a mental challenge especially when the grass is long or wet. It's true, but somehow psychologically we are ok paying crossfit to flip large tires? Doesn't add up. Now let me get into the pros. It's a great workout both physically and mentally. I can do it when I want (for example right before a house party). I'm outside and not in some cement gym. I also gain some perspective. I sit on zoom all day ... this let's me understand what other folks do for their job and how hard that life can be. Lastly, I'm setting an example for my 10 year old son. He can see me working hard and I can explain to him the value of money, why I mow the lawn, and how I solve problems.

This isn't meant to be a mathematical proof, it's meant to show how I work through a problem and optimize the outcome. For example, once I arrived at #3, I optimized the solution further by buying a push lawn mower that doesn't pull itself because I want the workout. Certainly, there are other options I didn't detail here. I could move to a condo or travel excessively which would preclude me mowing my own lawn. I wrote this article not to get people to start mowing their own lawn but to provide a relatable example and show that we can think about problems differently and bring new approaches to how we solve them.