When You’re Off Your Game

I’ve been a little off my game the last week or so. My husband Jeremy and I had friends visiting from out of town who stayed with us overnight this week; my sister and her fiance are coming for dinner tonight.

Plus, I’m behind on emails and a few other things, and had five back-to-back calls the other day.

But, you know what? Shit happens. You own up to it, you do what’s right in front of you, the most important and urgent items, you communicate about what’s going on, and then you do the next thing.

I think I’ve written before about how ten, even just five or three years ago I would do what I call “spinning out” when stuff like this happens. I’d have a dramatic reaction about what am I going to do and how am I ever going to get it all done and what will people think and what will people say and I’m never going to make it right, and, and, and…

And, really, the spinning out only makes things worse.

It’s me, making everything more stressful—not just for myself, but for anyone else involved.

I’m not always able to catch myself before I start to spin out, but I think I’m getting better at it. And so at least today, this week, instead of allow the what-am-I-going-to-do nonsense start up in my brain, I keep telling myself, “just do one thing at a time.”

So that’s what I’m doing.

Yesterday, the one thing was to spend time with out of town friends who we don’t see very often. Then it was to write this email. Today my one thing is to meet with my clients for office hours. And the next thing after that is to lounge by the pool, while giving myself permission to let the rest of the things wait until tomorrow.

So when you’re off your game, like I have been this week, just do one thing at a time.

Eventually you’ll be back on your game.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *