Busy

Does this ever happen to you: you stare at your computer or to do list and just stare? For minutes at a time. So overwhelmed at the amount of items to do that you can’t decide which one to do next? 

Or is it just me?

That indecision block happened to me this afternoon and it’s not the first time. As it’s happening, I wonder if the timeline paralysis is due to the quantity of items on the list, or an age-related mental slowdown or my Multiple Sclerosis. Maybe all three.

I want to believe it is the result of quantity. Like many people in contemporary American society, I am doing a job formerly done by three separate people. I have many tools to help with efficiency but the reality is that there is a lot of stuff to do at work; probably more quantity that when three people did this stuff. Knowing that doesn’t make it any easier.

Just doing my job is the mental equivalent of those ‘keep your brain active’ exercises AARP refers to, but my brain probably does process slower than a decade or two ago.  People living with MS often experience cognitive issues but I don’t think I’m one of them.

My usual reaction to an overwhelming amount of work or decisions that require immediate attention is to picture a brick wall. Three options for getting past that wall are try to bust through it, try to climb over it or start removing one brick at a time. That third option usually works best.

Stepping back for a few minutes to study the situation is also a good strategy. In fact, that’s what I just did. I sat in a different chair in my office, whipped out my iPhone and wrote this little essay.

I think I’m ready to start removing one brick at a time. I might play a Pink Floyd song while I’m doing that.

Another Brick In the Wall