full plate

The past weeks have been consuming. Yeah, consuming, like take a big plate, fill it with lots of food, and eat it all. I'm not complaining. It's just different for me to have so much to do. The past few years have been fairly easy. Nothing really pressing. Coasting along has been pleasant.

With the full plate I'm worn out, my fuse is short, and my memory overwhelmed. The theme for 2009 is balance and these big life events have put that to the test. Several years ago my boss introduced me to Steven Covey's Seven Habits. There are many good habits he points out and principles to apply to everyday problems (my paraphrase):

• get off your duff and do something
• get your priorities straight
• think it through before you start
• think of others first
• handle conflict well
• work together off each others' strengths
• stay healthy

When there is so much to do I forget these habits. Okay, I just get lazy. It's easier to look like I have it together than to keep it together. So, time for the absurd analogy. When the plate is full I want to eat it all. But I can enjoy eating all I can at a nice pace while visiting with my dinner companions. Then, I can take left-overs home to enjoy later or leave the rest. Just because It is on my plate does not mean I have to shovel it all down right now.