Are you the type of person who cleans up while cooking, or do you usually let the dishes pile up and wash them at the end? Your choice reflects not only your cooking habits but also aspects of how you organize your environment, how you manage your time, and even how you handle your emotions. Personality is evident even in simple tasks like washing pots and pans or wiping down the countertop between dishes.
Small tasks, big psychological insights
Our daily habits reveal more about us than we realize, because they expose who we are and how we function when no one is watching or judging us. Cooking is one of those activities where everyone acts without filters. Precisely for this reason, certain seemingly irrelevant habits reveal quite consistent psychological traits that could be extrapolated to other areas of life, as revealed by a study conducted at the University of Iowa.
1. Ability to manage the environment
Our brains often react to visual clutter as if it were an unfinished task. A pile of dirty dishes in the sink or a grimy countertop serves as a constant reminder that something remains to be done, which often generates psychological tension.
Cleaning while you cook reduces that “mental noise” before it escalates. For many people, this habit makes the experience of cooking and even eating more relaxing. And that demonstrates an ability to manage the environment so that it doesn’t become a further source of stress.
2. Greater self-control and less procrastination
Putting things off is tempting. It requires less effort right now, but it will probably cost you double or triple the effort later (just think of those dried-on sauce stains stuck to the bottom of the pots). People who clean as they cook are choosing the “hardest” action in the present to avoid a bigger problem in the future.
This means they have a greater capacity to delay instant gratification and greater self-control. And various psychological studies have linked these characteristics to better decisions regarding health, finances, and even personal relationships.
3. Time management and planning skills
Making an omelet doesn’t require great skill, but preparing tortellini from scratch is a whole different ballgame (and that’s putting it mildly). If you’re cleaning up while preparing even these more complicated recipes, it shows you have good planning skills. In other words, you’re able to estimate how long it will take you to wash the dishes without burning the garlic.
It’s generally a sign that you can handle multiple demands in real time. And that won’t just make your life easier in the kitchen, but it will likely extend to how you approach more complex projects, stick to your schedule, and adapt when unexpected events arise.
4. Awareness and discipline
This habit in the kitchen is often associated with a personality trait called conscientiousness, which describes people who are organized, responsible, and highly goal-oriented. They are generally people who hate having tasks pile up, so they tackle small issues with discipline before they become bigger problems.
It’s not an obsession with order, but rather a discomfort with unfinished tasks. They’re aware of all those little things that need doing and plan ahead so they don’t become a mountain of to-dos. This generally translates to other areas of their lives in the form of regular habits.
5. Emotional regulation
Sometimes, cooking can be stressful, especially when you have guests. You have to keep track of time, make sure the temperature is right, monitor the cooking times, and of course, make sure you don’t add sugar instead of salt.
Interestingly, a study conducted at Florida State University revealed that washing dishes is a highly effective stress-relief technique, to the point that it was described as a form of everyday mindfulness . Therefore, those who clean while cooking are more likely to remain calm, manage their emotions better under pressure, and prioritize flexibly when faced with multiple simultaneous demands. And in real life, that can make the difference between melting down and responding effectively.
Does that mean everyone should do it? Not necessarily.
Cleaning while we cook doesn’t make us better people, and those who leave everything until the last minute aren’t doing anything wrong, psychologically speaking. In fact, the ability to stay afloat amidst chaos is also important because life is, to a large extent, chaotic. Furthermore, science has proven that clutter stimulates creativity.
Therefore, there is no “right” way to do things; it’s a matter of preference.
However, it’s interesting that our behavior and decisions in the kitchen act as a lens through which we can observe how we function internally. It offers clues so we can choose the routines that work best for us and make us feel more balanced and in control, allowing us to enjoy what we’re doing – because, ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.
References:
Andrade, F. C. & Hoyle, R. H. (2023) A synthesis and meta-analysis of the relationship between trait self-control and healthier practices in physical activity, eating, and sleep domains. Personality and Individual Differences; 205: 112095.
Hanley, A. W. et. Al. (2015) Washing Dishes to Wash the Dishes: Brief Instruction in an Informal Mindfulness Practice. Mindfulness; 6(5): 1095-1103.
Vohs, K. et. Al. (2013) Physical Order Produces Healthy Choices, Generosity, and Conventionality, Whereas Disorder Produces Creativity. Psychological Science; 24(9): 1860-1867.
de Ridder D. T. et. Al. (2012) Taking stock of self-control: a meta-analysis of how trait self-control relates to a wide range of behaviors. Pers Soc Psychol Rev; 16(1): 76-99.
Wu, K. D. & Clark, L. A. (2003) Relations between personality traits and self-reports of daily behavior. Journal of Research in Personality; 37(4): 231-256.
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