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Interruptions and getting stir crazy

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Interruptions and getting stir crazy

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2508

Breaking down tasks into smaller ones took me some time to learn how to do..What I came to realize is that I can not expect to complete a task in lighting speed and that is ok if it takes longer than I anticipated. I used to try to clean the house from top to bottom in a day, that was my "all or nothing" thinking talking. I began to realize as I got older and a bit disabled that I did not need to get it all done in a day anymore, for what, why wear myself out. This would be self destructive. So I started to let up on myself a little. I have also learned how to ask for help and if need be, to hire out and get the help I need. This was a real biggie admitting I needed help and could not do everything myself. I starting renovating my home 6 yrs ago and this required lots of research and hiring contractors to do the work. First I decided what needed to be done first and went from there. First I had to get physically well enough to work on this project, this took over a year. Then I slowly but surely started going through my and my late husband belonging and paper work and began the process of getting rid of things I didn't really need anymore. I spend days shredding paper and then would take a break for a few days and do a little more. This whole process took me about another year. Than I began the process of hiring people to work on my house. The one thing I learned from this process is that Rome wasn't build in a day and so it would be with this project. The other thing I learned is patience and that I needed to take breaks in between different part of the renovations. I have finally come to the end of this project 6 yrs from the day I started. I am sure I will still have some things to do here and there as problems arise as they do sometimes. One thing I have learned from it all is that I am capable of hiring and supervising people if necessary and that all things in life worth doing need to be broken down into smaller steps in order to get them done....

Red....

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Ashley,

Depends on the task. I can do laundry, make bread and work in my shop at the same time because two of these things pretty much take care of themselves at the same time. Problem with multi tasking is picking your tasks. You don't want them all to need attention at the same time. You don't want to add so much that you get tired either. Now making soup, and cookies and lunch at the same time is a bad idea. Even if lunch is just popcorn. Now if I had to wait for the bread to rise before going to the store I would never get there. But I do multi task when I can. Like now, I'm here and having tea also.

So if you are going to multi task then keep it small.

Davit.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11214

Great discussion.

Loved your reply Red. Positive self talk is so important

Multi-tasking is certainly overrated. It actually makes people less productive. Interruptions can also interfere with productivity but I agree with Red trying to be positive always helps with keeping yourself on track. Also, whenever it comes to large tasks be sure to break them down into manageable smaller tasks. This may help with managing interruptions.

How do you break down large tasks into smaller ones?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2508

Hi Hugs,

I am one of those people that works best when doing one task at a time..Life's interruptions can throw me off and I get very frazzled and tired..It has taken me a long long time to get the things done that I wanted to get done. I do find getting back on track very difficult at times..Even so any progress is better than no progress right!! That's what I have to remember to keep telling myself..Positive self talk really helps me in time like this..

Red.....

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Hugs.

I sat in the basement and looked around in a big circle and realized that what I needed to do was move one tool. See I had bought a new bigger lathe and moved some stuff to make room for it. You guessed it, I piled all that stuff in the way. So I built a corner shelf to put the saw sharpener on and a few small things and this freed up some room. I'll be days cleaning but now I have some where to start and it doesn't look so hard. Both my knees are artificial and I really miss being able to kneel. Both wrists bend about 5 degrees only, and rotate 90 degrees only. I almost have to stand on my head to do some things. My lowest vertebrae has collapsed into a clump but only hurts when I over work and the nerves swell up and pinch off. Standing and walking are the hardest. I have little benches all over my yard and often I go from one to the other. I do almost every thing I can sitting. Lucky for me I have some one to share with and no one to really look after. I try to do what I can as best as I can and have grown to accept a lot that I otherwise would not have if I was physically fit. I commend you for being able to get as much done as you do. For me every little accomplishment is a celebration. Life goes on.

(It is snowing and very pretty, even though I have to go out in it.)

Davit.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Davit,

I know what you mean by letting things pile up. Some people say I'm sloppy, but don't realize the actual, measureable physical pain in bending down, or being on your knees and the fatigue with simple things such as arthritus, let alone joint replacements.

I forget the pain until I resume the cleaning exercise. Or I forget until I stretch the crushed disk in my back and I can't sleep for weeks with throbbing in my neck...and a little self-doubt and the panic cycle gets triggered.

What do you mean by "...I've found a place to start.."?

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Hugs

You should see my shop after a couple of years of not being able to use it. I wanted to just throw every thing out the door that is in the way. The thing is everything has a place it just isn't in it's place. See I've been so tired over the last two years that I just piled stuff wherever. Now I have help elsewhere so I can get around to putting things back. But where to start. After much yelling (at myself) and frustration I've found a place to start. Still it is a big chore. I'm actually looking forward to it.

Davit.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Sometimes I get interrupted so often that I lose my perspective. I know i have a lot less resilience.

An example is that I was methodically working on researching, preparing and purchased some materials for insulating a window. Suddenly my garage door opener light needed to be replaced, since I would be going out at night, and backing into the garage is hard with only my taillights.

A driver in our laneway even showed the beginning of road rage, when I allowed him to go ahead of me instead exiting my garage. I stopped short of exiting, and must have confused the driver, but I didn't block the laneway, allowing him to pass. Most people would just keep driving, but he had give me "the look".

The light is necessary since my night visiion is awful, and I don't want to hit the garage.

One thing which was progressing, was interrupted by another smaller project, because of the urgency. I don't have to drive again at night for a while, so I'm able to return to the original project of insulating.

Sometimes what happens, though, is that interuptions interupt interruptions, so it makes me dizzy. In programming, this is known, I think, as iteration, and it's normal.

I wonder if anybody out there feels dizzy and loses their place with too many interrruptions?

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Interruptions and getting stir crazy