Monday following Mom week always presents a problem. I’m behind on everything, it seems, because I haven’t touched my computer in at least six days. I have blog posts to write, tweets to schedule, folks to keep up with on Facebook, and a work in progress to plug some meaningful words into. And that’s just the day job. We’re not counting the house that needs cleaning, laundry that needs washing, the shopping I must do if we’re going to eat this week.
But, truth be told, it isn’t as bad as all that. Well, the house is, but otherwise it isn’t so bad. Come Monday morning of any week, not just the one following Mom week, I still have blog posts to write, tweets to schedule, folks to keep up with, and a WIP to work on. It all just feels different, more urgent, when I’ve been gone a while.
I woke up at 3:30 in a state of panic because I’m so far behind. How silly is that? And yet, it’s what I do every Monday-after-Mom. I toss and turn in the early hours, trying to get back into the swing of business. What do I blog about? How do I write the upcoming scene?
Today is a bit different from the usual after-Mom Monday, because we’re in November–the month that belongs to my husband. Which is the primary reason I don’t participate in NaNoWriMo. We’re gone more often than we’re home, and when we’re home, the ability to concentrate on anything for any length of time is nigh unto nil, and I’m wracked with the panic that comes with knowing I have so much to do and so little time to do it in.
So, now it’s 5:15, and I’m writing this. I gave up on going back to sleep, because it ain’t happenin’. I have too much to do in too short a period of time–and all the while, the part of my brain that isn’t screaming at me to get to work is telling me to settle down, it isn’t as bad as all that. The world isn’t going to end if I don’t get a blog post written. No one is going to care if a tweet from me doesn’t land in their feed, Facebook friends will go on doing what they do, and my WIP will be here, waiting for me.
I wish the part of my brain screaming at me to get to work would listen to the part of my brain telling me to chill out.
Good morning, Monday.
Several years into it, and this blog still refuses to be categorized. It's eclectic and includes everything from writing posts to snippets from my ordinary life. 
Linda W. Yezak 
I can so relate. My elderly parents live nearby and there are weeks more stressful then others as I try to balance my life. Writing is almost therapeutic after a day of helping clear their confusion. I’ve gotten behind on my twice a week blog posts due to brain drain from life. i sometimes let my its ok to relax part of my brain win over the part telling me to get all these things done. Of course then I have to wrestle with the guilt of not being consistent. *sigh* such is a writer’s life. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Yes–“wrestle the guilt of not being consistent.” Hate that particular guilt trip. When I’m a good girl and all organized, I prepare for Mom week by prescheduling posts and tweets, etc. I have FB on my smart phone, so I keep up with it some while I’m with her. But it’s true–no one would miss me if I missed months at a time, so the stress is unwarranted. 😉
LikeLike
Keep trying, eventually the side of your brain that flaps and panics will listen. Truly, because I’m or rather I was just like that. But when you finally see the world doesn’t stop when you miss that post-tweet-Facebook entry, you’ll relax. A bit. 😉
LikeLike
The good, relaxed, chilled side of my brain knows you’re right. The side that drives me to get things done is now sighing in relief because I got things done. Only took three hours–the ones between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Insane, isn’t it? 😀
LikeLike
Good morning…and it is a good morning. My favorite response to the panic is to ask my self…what difference will it make a hundred years from now? Funny how those ‘must-get-done’ things just seem to evaporate.
LikeLike
I like that attitude. A hundred years from now, no one will even know who I am, so there’s virtually no point in doing much of anything. Which means–get this–I don’t have to clean house today! \0/
LikeLike
I disagree on one point. There are those who would miss your presence (I’m one), but we also understand you have a life outside the the computer and you’ll be back with us when you can. So, don’t sweat it if you miss one or two posts, tweets, or comments. We’ll still be here when you come back. 🙂
When I get in that kind of work frenzy with more that needs to be done than there are hours in the day, I pull back, and ask not just the 100 year question, but what would matter most to God today? In the end, that’s all that’s going to count at the end of my life.
LikeLike
I like that. Thanks. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you figure out how to get your brain to stop screaming at you, let me know! This is a cycle I’ve been working really hard to get over in my own life. The world does not crumble just because I miss a deadline! Usually, I’m the only person who even notices. Which is always a good realization for the ego. 😉
LikeLike
I think you mean it’s a slam to the ego–however necessary it may be.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like me most every morning. I have no idea what it would be like to not be behind on everything. But, I do like the 100 year question and the what would matter most to God question. I’ll have to keep those in mind. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love my readers–they put everything into perspective. Those two questions are mind-easing, aren’t they?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes they are. I need to print them up in a neat font, slip them into plastic page sleeves and hang them up where I see them often. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people