Deep Breath

It seems that lately I have frequently faced the feeling of being completely overwhelmed.  There is too much to do and not enough time to do it.  My mind is always racing.  It gets to the point that I overload and I don't even know what to do next.  That is the point that I tend to quit.  It just seems easier that way.  If I shut down and avoid all of the noise that is rattling around my brain, I can pretend that it doesn't exist.

The problem is, all of that noise is still there when I come back to reality.  I often find that these extended breaks, while fun, are not very productive.

I have found a new way to cope, take a deep breath.  Sometimes that's literal: I take a moment, take a few deep breaths, and continue with my day.  Sometimes it's figurative: I take a coffee or lunch break, listen to a favorite song, watch a little T.V., or read a chapter of whatever novel I am currently reading. 

What I don't do now is check out and quit.  When I used to do that, I never got where I wanted to go.  I failed to accomplish tasks that were actually important to me.  Finally, I wasted a lot of time retracing my steps and regaining the ground that I had lost while I was on hiatus.

You get the point; don't check out completely, just take a moment to take a deep breath.