Multitasking, Stress, and Sanity

C has inspired me today with a comment:  "Who invented multitasking anyway?"

I like to think that I multitask. I don't.  I'm a serial tasker.  When I say I'm "multitasking" it means I have more than one thing on my desk, but I am only doing one at a time, finishing it, and moving on.  When I'm in what friends and family call "work mode" I serial task somewhat constantly.  Talking to me? No good. I can't hear you.  Yes, I know the TV is still on, but I haven't glanced up at it in two hours.  I have no idea what's on.  Call me on the phone? I'll answer (the ringing is so annoying) but after a moment I'm likely to drift back to what I was doing, whether you're still talking or not.

I have no illusions (as many seem to) I'm a BAD multitasker.

In addition to serial tasking, I'm one of those people who doesn't like to stop a task until it's finished... and I tend to do the most unpleasant tasks first.  It sounds wonderful, in theory, but for me it leads to a lot of stress.

Macbeth may be a fictional character, and regicide isn't on my to-do list, but I absolutely believe in his words, "If it were done when 'tis done,  then 'twere well it were done quickly ."

In part, that's why the first day of the month is so difficult for me. I do ALL my banking and bill paying for the month.  I do the majority of the month's shopping in bulk and sales (yesterday I got over $150 in groceries for less than $100 with sales, coupons, and loyalty rewards, and scored a 20¢ / gallon discount on a fill up at the gas pump!).  I often start the online payments at 5am and am out the door to the grocery store at 6.

Yesterday was rough, because I wasn't only doing my regular stuff, but I had to drive in to Albuquerque to pick up a power of attorney, then do most of my son's stuff, too (which, I admit, was a lot less than my stuff, but  more stressful because I had to deal with canceling and closing accounts)

Last night I ended up doing a load of laundry at 10:00 at night (past my regular bed time) and this morning I'm once again up at 5 and getting ready to leave for Las Cruces in an hour.

This morning I woke up, stepped on the scale and looked in the mirror, and had to admit I looked like hell.  That's not going to stop me today.  I'll splash a little concealer on the dark circles under my eyes if I have to, then get on the road.  Tomorrow, however,  my one task is to relax.

When I schedule days for down time, I'm just as diligent about keeping those as I am my work time.

Current weight: 213.6 lbs
Current blood sugar:  Who knows?
Current health status:  PLEASE GET ME AN EXCEDRIN MIGRAINE AND A CUP OF BLACK TEA!