New crisis management

My thoughts frequently wander to newly acquired insights in crisis management. Lately I’ve been frustrated. I have a good amount of time on my hands, and plenty of things to fill them with: work stuff, school stuff, school project, yoga practice, singing and guitar practice, writing, housework, not to forget socializing and going to the movies.

Since I moved out (and into the next crisis), I enjoyed the slow pace and absence of someone to breath down my neck or give me dirty looks when I was (in his opinion) not using my time wisely. So I guess it was necessary to let my lazy side have some space. It needed a LOT of space!

It’s been just about six months, and lately I’ve felt like I’m drowning in stuff that needs to get done, as well as stuff that I want to do. The crisis of “adjusting to life on my own” has become a new crisis: “I lack structure.” Thus the goal is rather clear: “I need structure.”

That realization has occupied free moments of thought the past few days, as well as been the main attraction. I have enough time to do everything if I stop wasting my time — without having to be stressed out and hectic.

Actually, it just occurred to me that maybe I wasn’t just wasting time. I was recuperating from a stressful 24 years! And now I’m coming to my senses, so to speak, and it appears to me as if I’ve been wasting time. That’s a good sign that it’s time for a change.

Today I got up earlier than usual, got off to a slow start, but faster than has been my habit. It was the willingness to just get started. Just one thing. And one thing led to another, so that by the evening I’d taken care of a lot of stuff — housework, phone calls, organizing stuff and getting a sense of what I need to do. I’m pleased and relieved, and feel much less overwhelmed than I did yesterday.

Yesterday I named my crisis: “I lack structure.” Today I set my goal: “I need structure.” Then I went about examining my resources and how I can get there, the steps I need to take, what help I may need. It’s a good plan. When I have structure in my life, I’ll use the same steps to deal with the next crisis. Crisis/change is the only dependable thing in life, so it helps to have a plan of action!