It is Monday.

Hell Week Monday, to be precise.

I just spent two hours counter-productively freaking out.

But, I also spent two hours returning to my trusted self-care mechanisms (thank you Murakami and 9gag).

Now, I am going to take stock, take heart, and take charge.

Even if things are going crazy, it’s nice to have some semblance of order or an illusion of control.

–

One thing I always do when I feel overwhelmed with work is to counter-intuitively take the time to write to myself. Like now.

The other thing I often do is to make a list of tasks I have done/accomplished/finished in the period prior to crunch time *and* a list of tasks I have to do/accomplish/finish during crunch time (e.g. March 2015).

This reminds me that crazy schedules and work piles have been conquered before, and can be overcome again.

(PS: Effective only after I’ve gotten all the freaking out out of my system.)

(PPS: Effective even if all I want to do now is lay by the river and read. Especially since tomorrow is a public holiday. Because this-week’s-me wants to beat last-week’s-me. AM I MONICA FROM FRIENDS?!)

–

Last week, I

– submitted 07 job applications
– revised & resubmitted 02 journal articles
– wrote 03 abstracts
– read 02 books
– copyedited 02 journal articles
– expanded on 01 co-author papers
– drafted 01 project plan

By the end of this week, I will need to

– submit 03 job/grant applications (90% there)
– finalize 01 journal issue (50% there)
– revise & resubmit 01 journal article (0% there)
– complete 01 book review (0% there)
– write 03 journal articles (5k, 6k, 7k words – 10% there)
– expand on 05 co-authored papers (10% there)
– finish 01 lit review (0% there)

–

Okay enough whining.

No more analysis paralysis.

Let’s go.

Just do.

–

“What a strange world we live in. Some people plug away at building railroad stations, while others make tons of money cooking up sophisticated-sounding words.”
-Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage