Ever have one of those weeks were everything that’s going on in your life just feels completely overwhelming? And no matter how fast you try to run, you’re just falling further and further behind?
Yeah, it’s been one of those kind of weeks.
The biggest problem at the moment is that I highly suspect that changes are in the works at work. Changes that may or may not put my job situation at risk.
The problem is, I don’t know. I have my suspicions, things that I think that are happening and actions I think others may be taking that would affect me directly, but I don’t know. And, as I’m sure you all know, when things are happening around you but you can’t find out what’s going on, it’s stressful as hell.
Which isn’t to say that I’ve been staying still, career-wise, as I’ve been studying for a certification exam of late. It just seems like I can’t study it fast enough.
Unfortunately, that’s how it feels in all the other areas of my life as well. Can’t study fast enough. Can’t get out and be social enough. Haven’t been on many dates. Haven’t traveled enough. Can’t get off my butt and get to Europe quick enough. Can’t catch up on my reading fast enough. Can’t write enough.
Then I read something about how we all don’t relax enough. Well, hell.
So where am I right now instead of doing all that stuff?
I’m sitting at home.
Waiting for a plumber.
Waiting for the plumber that I left work two hours early and drove home through the pouring rain to meet, only to get a phone call when I arrived that he was going to be… wait for it… two hours late.
But of course.
On the plus side, I’ll be getting a new water heater to replace the one that started leaking around Christmas.
Why so long to get replaced? I’m so glad you asked.
See, first I called my landlord for him to approve having the plumber come out, then had the plumber come out and tell me that whoever did the original installation connected copper to (I think) galvanized pipe which caused corrosion (news to me, as I’m no plumber) and, short story, the heater needed to be replaced. Then I had to wait for the plumber to call the landlord, the landlord to shop for a new water heater, the landlord to call me and ask me to measure the floorspace, the landlord to find out that he couldn’t get the heater he wanted to because of some new regulation, the landlord to finally, begrudgingly, approve the job and buy the heater (“don’t get short with me ‘cuz your inspector missed it,” I’m thinking), then scheduling the appointment and finally sitting here, waiting.
Except, oh wait, I just got a call on the cell. The supplier closed early so the plumber couldn’t get the new water heater. So they have to reschedule for tomorrow, which means that I took time off work today for NOTHING.
Why does such a thing have to be so damn complex and freaking time consuming? Oy.
And all of it, of course, taking away from the time I need to get, well, everything else done. Except writing, apparently, as I sit here, uh, writing.
Now, I know I’m not alone in this boat. I can’t be. Seriously, though, do you ever look around at your friends and family and think “How is it they get so much more done than I do in the same number of days?”
If there’s a secret to it, would somebody please share?
The GeekHiker 
There is no secret to getting it done. There is just the secret of how to hide the fact that you aren’t getting it done, but looking like you do…
By: lea on January 23, 2008
at 5:59 pm
I think Lea has it right. Everyone’s faking it.
The worst part of the majority of this stuff is that it is out of your control and is just happening to you. You can study, do your job and live life but all that is being affected by others right now.
Joy.
By: just a girl on January 23, 2008
at 8:02 pm
Ugh. The whole feeling of feeling overwhelmed? Yes. I. Am. There. But at least we are there together.
By: brandy on January 23, 2008
at 9:45 pm
Now that I’m semi-retired, I can tell you that there is never enough hours in the day. Lea is right, everyone is faking it. In theory, I have all the time in the world but I feel like I still don’t have enough time to do everything I want to do.
By: Homer-Dog on January 24, 2008
at 7:10 am
You don’t have to fake it… I don’t. The secrets are (and no i am not a soulless robot living a life without joy – i stick to my plan and in turn end up doing everything that makes me happy):
*schedule every minute of the day, including planning for downtime and play time and your bedtime and do not deviate from the schedule. this will only work if you and your friends are all type a and like to schedule dates with you too, though.
*always be prepared: carry your workout clothes, shopping lists, snacks, study guides etc, so you’re never sidetracked. go right from work to gym or work to school without stopping home for your gear. also, if you find yourself with 30 minutes to kill, you can get some reading done
*adopt the motto “just do it” – no excuses – there’s no time to be lazy or tired – if you schedule your whole day properly you will sleep 8 hours a night and still get it all done
*disconnect the television and fall asleep at night reading instead
these are the things that work for me. i am juggling full time job, grad school, homeownership, triathlon training, a boyfriend, and friends and family and it works. i see everyone and do everything, and do not get sidetracked. the only thing that holds me back from doing something i want to sometimes is lack of money – but don’t we all relate to that.
good luck!
By: charlotte harris on January 24, 2008
at 9:16 am
I say just prioritize and stick with your order but be willing to be flexible if things come up. I usually plan out my week a bit and things shift and change and sure we might not get out to the forest this weekend but my husband fixed my mother in laws car and that would have dragged us down all next week if we didn;t just do it now. So we shift. And my biggest rule of thumb to getting stuff done?
“Roll with it.”
It’ll all get done eventually. Now go hike or something!
By: backpacker momma on January 24, 2008
at 9:29 am
GH, I feel your pain, bud … I definately feel your pain. I feel like everyone is on fast forward and I’m standing there watching the people blurrs.
I must not be an “A” type, because that sounds way too much like work!
By: dobegil on January 24, 2008
at 7:19 pm
lea – I should work on my acting skills then!
just a girl – that’s exactly it, trying to plan things out and having others change it.
brandy – Glad to know there’s someone there with me.
Homer-Dog – Really? Hm. Still, I’d like to give the semi-retirement time plan a try…
charlotte – those are all good ideas. Sometimes, though, I feel I’m trying to implement a type A plan and getting type b results!
backpacker momma – Doing my best. But the hike hike is also a good idea.
dobegil – That’s a good allegory. Just about perfect, in fact.
By: geekhiker on January 24, 2008
at 8:50 pm
What? Did you think you were going to take a few days off, come back and everything was gonna be hunky-dory? Inevitably, I always find something pissing me off at the end of a long vacation. Don’t know if that’s just Murphy’s Law, or I’m coming off that post-vacation high that makes me irritable.
By: Aaron on January 25, 2008
at 4:51 am