Friday, November 06, 2009

Trying to relax

I've officially been on vacation for nine days now. I feel well rested and the house has been deep-cleaned (for the most part). I've done some cooking and baking and caught up on a lot of television. I say all this leading up to my main point: I just can't seem to chill out.

I've developed this...well, I guess I'd call it a bad habit...of constantly thinking, "Okay, what do I need to do next?" over the past year or so. I've noticed that I don't just focus on whatever I'm doing. I've always got one hand in one basket and one hand in the other lately.

Don't get me wrong...I'm all for some multi-tasking. Apparently, we're supposed to grow better at it as we age (we as in women...how's that for a stereotype?). I just don't like that I'm doing it all the time. I mean, I can't even watch TV at night with out also reading a magazine or looking at a cook book and planning the weekly shopping list, or doing my nails, or this, or that. I've tried to just sit there, but it usually ends up with me feeling this nervous tic-like sensastion and my brain screaming: "I'm not being stimulated enough!! Read something, plan something! Do it or I'll make you explode!" (Okay. Maybe I'm being a little over-dramatic here, but sometimes this is really what it feels like.)(Oh, and please don't tell me I have ADHD, 'cause I don't. Seriously.)

I think part of this issue is due to my brain not having yet transitioned out of the classroom mentality it has been working under for the past 3.5 years. I no longer have to worry about that weekly quiz in the class that I hate or the two back-to-back exams next week or the presentation on Friday. I mean I get some of this on my intern rotations, but it's different than being in class. Maybe once I graduate and land a job and settle into a routine that doesn't change every month my neurons will find a little more peace.

May 2010, baby! Let the countdown begin.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You know, there have been some studies showing that, when we (any of us) multitask, we actually do a bad job at pretty much each of our tasks. Or, at least, worse than if we'd single-tasked. I've been working on single-tasking at work. It's going...alright.

Oh, and "baby" and "countdown" were way too close for my mom-eyes, and I almost got excited for the WRONG reason. You're graduating!

Elizabeth Spann said...

You've always been a multi-tasker, my talented friend. RELAX. I miss you, by the way!

melissa said...

ha ha ha! sounds like you need more red wine in your diet. that ALWAYS helps with the relaxation and focusing on a single task at a time, right? ;)