Stress me not

As we closeout this short work week, I am finding myself more stressed out than ever. While many people were out today, or even the whole week, I was working hard and scrambling to get stuff done from a to-do list that never seems to end. So as many people were ready to travel, or visit their loved ones, I just kept thinking “Crap! Now I have two days less to try to catch up”. I probably would be ok if I hadn’t picked up that new additional project [not that I had a choice] but that doesn’t matter anymore. That project is here to stay, and given my nature I will do whatever I can to see it succeed.

Today the girl’s school was closed, so I was working from home feeling guilty for not being able to take the day off and spend time with them. At lunch time I took a break from working – and them from probably getting bored – to go to their dentist cleaning appointment. While waiting to wrap up our visit, one of the girls that work there asked me if we were going to put our Christmas decorations up this weekend. “I hadn’t even though about it” I blurted out sincerely, surprising myself about the fact that it didn’t even occur to me that this weekend will already be December. “One more thing I will have to find the time to do”, I added in my head, probably increasing my stress level a tiny bit more.

After the dentist we went to Panera for lunch, and then came back home so I could continue working. Luckily my mom was able to come visit for a little while, which helped me out because I knew the girls would love to see her and she would play with them, which had two advantages: 1) They would be happy and entertained, and 2) They would not interrupt me. But there, just thinking about #2 made me feel like a really lame mom. And just like that, that was another reason to get stressed some more.

At the end we all survived the day, and I managed to get stuff done. My goal is to get some more stuff done tonight so that – hopefully – I don’t have to worry about work at all during the long weekend, and manage to enjoy it like the rest of them.