A typical day is a constant surge of information, coming from all directions - from others, from your random thoughts, from machines. The information can be overwhelming.
The e-mail about the training on Friday reminds you to pay for parking, in exact change, when you arrive.
Your kid tells you that he needs an excuse from the dentist's office and more sharpened pencils by tomorrow.
You need to check your work e-mail. You need to draft that memo.
Your spouse needs more pretzels and cheese from the store.Your laptop needs to be backed up and rebooted.The mailbox is full of bills.
YourbestfriendhasabirthdaynextweekyouwantmarshmellowsforyourcocoathecarisfilthyandneedstobewashedcouldyougetatoyforthebirthdaypartyinformationinformationinformationINFORMATION!!!
Some people avoid this level of anxiety, caused directly by information overload, by ignoring it. They are able to completely compartmentalize information input as "not important" most of the time.
Some people avoid this level of anxiety, caused directly by information overload, by ignoring it. They are able to completely compartmentalize information input as "not important" most of the time.
Then there is the rest of the normal, human, sober world.
We mere mortals need a way to cope, but it cannot take much time. So I timed my favorite coping mechanism.
10 seconds.
10 seconds is how long it took, after my husband said he needed something at the store, for me to walk over to my planner, take it out of my purse, write down the item, and put my planner back in my purse.
10 seconds is how long it took jot a note to pack a lunch for tomorrow. 10 seconds (or less) is how long it takes to write down one appointment or one follow-up task.
10 seconds, and my brain is free from the anxiety of information overload.
10 seconds, and I somehow remember about the lunch (in part because I'm in the habit of checking my planner in the morning and, in mysterious part, just because I wrote it down).
10 seconds turns us from mere mortals to superheroes.
Any planner will do. I like ring bound for flexibility and stylishness, but spiral would work, too. Heck, electronic planning would work.
So take 10 seconds to share this on Pinterest...and make a commitment to stop for 10 seconds next time, and write it down.
Etcetera.
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Partied at: Funtastic Friday, Awesome Life Fridays
We mere mortals need a way to cope, but it cannot take much time. So I timed my favorite coping mechanism.
10 seconds.
10 seconds is how long it took, after my husband said he needed something at the store, for me to walk over to my planner, take it out of my purse, write down the item, and put my planner back in my purse.
10 seconds is how long it took jot a note to pack a lunch for tomorrow. 10 seconds (or less) is how long it takes to write down one appointment or one follow-up task.
10 seconds, and my brain is free from the anxiety of information overload.
10 seconds, and I somehow remember about the lunch (in part because I'm in the habit of checking my planner in the morning and, in mysterious part, just because I wrote it down).
10 seconds turns us from mere mortals to superheroes.
Any planner will do. I like ring bound for flexibility and stylishness, but spiral would work, too. Heck, electronic planning would work.
So take 10 seconds to share this on Pinterest...and make a commitment to stop for 10 seconds next time, and write it down.
Etcetera.
If you enjoy what you read at Giftie Etcetera, please share on social media. Click here to join the Giftie Etcetera Facebook group.
Partied at: Funtastic Friday, Awesome Life Fridays
This is so me and typical of this morning: "Call A back, return call from plumber, get somebody to put salt on icy steps, still doing pizzas for day school???email K, GET CANOLA OIL!…. , baby gate pugs so they don't eat the plumber, is that pipe still frozen?? oil man came, check flights... " This was all written before 9am, and it really is the difference between appearing semi-professional and looking like a basket case all day. Great post!!
ReplyDeleteLisa, what a comment! I love it.
DeleteAbsolutely can help me sleep too! When I wake up in the middle of the night thinking "Don't forget to…"
ReplyDeleteI keep a sticky pad at my bedside table to write it down and stick in my planner in the am.
Entirely 100% true. While it may take a little more than 10 seconds from time to time, the idea is still there - don't think about it, just write it down. Any task, any reminder, any shopping item - write it down! It will be there for you when you are ready, and out of your head to clear up space for better things!
ReplyDeleteI think this is what people don't always get. Your planner isn't something you look at in the morning and evening and ignore the rest of the day. It should be used on and off all day.
ReplyDeleteI use my planner faithful. I think the problem I have is taking the time to look at it constantly but I really loved post because it's so true.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, what a great reminder!
ReplyDeleteEspecially useful when you can FIND your planner. ; ) Thank goodness for calendars on our phones! Not that I can always find THAT one either... BB2U
ReplyDelete