Louisa Simmonds

It was a struggle going back to work today and having to think with clarity without that glass of wine in one hand and an Easter egg in the other.

To Do List by Erin at http://www.flickr.com

I farted around at my desk trying to achieve something for at least an hour before I decided that I had earned my first break.

Remembering anything, now that I’m middle-aged must stretch the ageing cerebellum in my brain to capacity.

These days my memory is becoming about as selective as those of my teenagers.

Which is why I might not have remembered to bank that super important cheque, or cancel that insurance, but luckily it did prompt me to remember to buy shit loads of Scarborough wine, especially because it was on special.

Needless to say, I’m back in the marital doghouse again.

I’ve always had to have a To Do list to remember anything – I blame the latent ADHD which runs in the family. Distraction is a permanent affliction these days and organization of, or focus on the stuff that bores the pants off is difficult.

Interestingly, I can remember to check in to Facebook and Twitter or take another boring snapshot for Instagram every hour or so, but I can easily forget to check my work inbox.

Which is why I have been forced to craft the SUPER LIST, which, because items on it seem to procreate so damned quickly, has now the exalted status of needing sub-division into columns.

This multi-tasking list consumes more hours of fancy-schmancy highlighting, than carrying out the actual tasks themselves.

I have a column for really boring general stuff, a column for writing, a column for the day job and a column for my ADHD Support Group. Once an item on the list is highlighted in yellow, then circled repeatedly in red, it usually means I’ve missed the deadline.

There’s always a lot of colour in my ‘general’ column, which is where ‘house and school stuff’ is shunted back and forth as I prioritize everything else. That column also includes whatever the old man has currently nagged asked me to do. The kind of stuff that is as awful as watching paint dry.

Needless to say, I still haven’t organised new wills, Kurt’s school has not yet received its annual fees or the past three excursion permission notes.

And every time I look at the mind boggling number of pages that make up the new passport application form I throw up a little inside my mouth.

How can I possibly get anything done when I am perpetually sidetracked by all this mundane shit?

#middleaged #organsation #focus #Humor #ADHD #Marriage #memory