While writing my last post to you about anxiety, I was getting interrupted constantly.
Lynn was trying to complete the kids health insurance, Luanne had questions about work stuff, and a neighbor was texting about what to bring to a party this weekend.
Nothing wrong with any of it.
Except this: I was trying to work.
I would try to answer each person’s question and get back to work, assuming that answering it would resolve the issue and that would be it.
But it wasn’t.
There were followup questions, more info needed, and “while I have you” type secondary conversations.
I was getting super frustrated but wasn’t even aware of it until it started bubbling out in my responses.
I’d been sitting at my desk for over 30 minutes and barely typed a paragraph. My thoughts were scattered because I couldn’t finish a thought without an interruption.
“LEAVE ME ALONE!” I thought.
Oops… I should have set a boundary – Closed my door, said I’d be working until (IDK 10:30?). and asked to discuss it later.
But I didn’t and my results – my priorities – suffered.
Before Define My Day this was my every day experience. I knew I had work to do but I was constantly sidetracked but other people’s work.
It wasn’t their fault. They had things to do too and needed information that only I possessed. And I didn’t carve out time to make myself available or unavailable.
Boundaries people. Boundaries. And I mean set boundaries. Communicate and enforce them.
They don’t have to be some grand or dramatic declaration. Simply, “I’ll be working on something until 10:30, let’s talk then.”
Phone on “Do Not Disturb.” Outlook closed. Noise-cancelling headphones “on.”
The alternative is:
- Resentment – “I do everything for everyone and never do anything for myself!”
- Crabbiness – See “resentment” while also layering on frustration and…
- Overwhelm – A pile of work that tends to only get done at weird hours when everyone else is sleeping because it’s the only time we can’t be bothered.
Look, I know life happens and so will situations like these. It becomes a problem when it’s a lifestyle.
Today, I noticed it happening and cut it off, albeit a little late. The result is that I got two emails done and edited some website photos.
I would not have been able to finish any of that if I didn’t put myself in a bubble with hard boundaries.
Keep moving forward,
Nick
