Terrible Twosome: Procrastination and Fatigue

I’m pacing.

Trying not to look at the pile of paperwork.

It’s been neatly sorted.

Categorised.

Ordered in some sort of priority.

But my usual way of clearing my mind and regaining a sense of control over my workload isn’t working.

It’s smoothly morphed into procrastination.

In fact, just looking at the neat order files is increasing my sense of just how much I’ve got to do.

--------

Noticing this over recent months has brought home two points:

1.    Any sort of multi-tasking is out!

My ability and will power to focus on get on and get something done has diminished. Even with deadline pressures.

Very simply the way to keep me going, keep me productive is to focus on one thing at a time.

Of course, each day I skip and flit between multiple different projects and pieces of work, and it takes some effort to switch onto the next task or meeting in the right frame of mind. But I’ve found to reduce the possibility that I’ll get side-tracked, distracted and caught in a loop of procrastination everything, bar the one task/project I’m working on, is put away.

Out of sight.

Hidden.

That includes my email.

Logged off and shut down.

One project, one task, one meeting, and when I get to it… one email at a time.

2.    Time to face fatigue

Easily distracted?

Yup.

Feeling weary at the end of each day?

Uh huh.

Everything you haven’t done, still playing on your mind?

Oh yeah.

During the night?

Yes, that too.

Can’t concentrate or focus or zone into something?

Um hmm.

Little irritations just won’t go away?

None of these are unusual. I’ve experienced all of these many times. They are often the signs I try to pay attention to, because they tell me something about where I’m at and that it’s time for me to do something to look after myself.

But that’s felt particularly difficult to do with lockdown restrictions.

Except it’s not just about time out and away from work. Trying to create social space, or restful relaxation to recoup some energy and motivation.

It’s also not just been about managing and dealing with pressured workload that can be overbearing.

There’s something in living with an unknown, unclear, uncertainty of what will be happening days, weeks or months down the line.

It feels draining.

Yet it still feels like we will be facing this for a while yet.

So I’ve tried to take stock

-      What’s helped me the last few months?

-      What have I learnt or found myself changing, adapting?

-      What do I want?

-      And is that in my control or influence to do something about?

I know I can’t have everything I want, and by taking stock I’ve helped myself face some choices that would be easier to avoid. If I can’t have it then

-      What could I change that’ll make a difference?

-      What else might fill that gap?

-      What might I let go of?

None of these answers has necessarily directly eased my fatigue, but they’ve made me stop and think. I’m feeling a more grounded, less pushed and pulled about.

I’m clearer on setting some boundaries more on my terms.

I’m creating a little more headspace so I’m more able to deal with the unexpected.

The fatigue is still there, it’ll take some time to rebuild my energy reserves, but now I feel I’m in a place I can do that.

------

How about for you?

Procrastination, distraction, tiredness getting the better of you?

What have you tried and what’s worked to help you get through the last few months?