I get impatient and frustrated with the smallest tasks…

[ashockley55]

like:

– GETTING OUT OF THE CAR

(I feel really tense as I park, put the car in park, turn off the lights and windshield wipers (if applicable, and I often forget), collect my things, particularly if I have groceries, it drives me out-of-my-skin nuts that I have to be delayed from going inside by gathering groceries. (But why am I in such a hurry to get inside?) And Lord help me if I can’t get it all in one trip.)

– CHECKING THE MAIL

(Today I nearly bent my key because I turned and took off from the mail box before I had completely gotten my key turned and removed from the lock. Super frustrated when I had to slow down, push the box, turn my key, and pull it out before walking off.)

– PUTTING GROCERIES AWAY

(I spin around in circles in my kitchen, in a rush, pulled in the direction of all the items that need to be put away. I don’t feel like I have enough arms. My mind is a flurry with finding the frozen items to put them away first, but then I come across a canned good, and finding the frozen items is abandoned, but finding them and getting them put up is still bothering me while I’m putting the canned good away. I mean, do I ignore the canned good until I’ve got all the frozen put away? But it’s easier to just put it away instead of digging past it for the frozen lasagna! My God! Okay, this bag is empty, I need to put it away now. No, wait, get all the groceries put up first, then gather the bags. Oh, wait, but I’m already half way to the closet where I put the bag. Should I pick up those keys that I threw down right now, or wait and pick them up after I put away the groceries, or will I forget?)

– PUTTING THINGS WHERE THEY BELONG, in general

(Like the above mentioned keys in the little dish I have right by the door to put them in. Or taking off my coat and putting it in the closet. I do these things, but it is only with much tension and frustration in my mind and body that I force myself to put my coat and keys in their proper place like a normal person. If I did what I was inclined to do, what my body and mind’s anxiety and restlessness tell me to do, I would just fling everything on the floor upon entry into my apartment. But then I would have anxiety and restlessness just leaving it there.

– HAVING TO BEND OVER TO PICK SOMETHING UP

(self-explanatory, it just takes a lot of mental effort and overcoming the I-don’t-want-to to actually do this, related directly to how far I have to bend down to pick it up. If it is flat on the floor, forget it.)

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[Anonymous]

Hi,

I can understand what you are saying. My frustration used to just build and build,…..

Since being diagnosed in late Nov ’11 and starting treatment with stimulants my frustration level has progressively

gone down. It is so nice to be able sit quietly and do things without getting wired.

Just taking it one day at a time and trying to not get ahead of myself.

Did you have you appt with your new doctor?

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[munchkin]

I love these descriptions – so accurate to what my impatience goes like! Would be funny if it wasn’t so true!

Yes – I think medication has helped, but long held habits die hard…

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[ashockley55]

My appointment got cancelled at the last minute! Thank you for asking, Robert. It was rescheduled for next Wednesday. The PA called in sick. So, now I’m looking forward to next Wednesday!

And munchkin, it really is funny – frustrating and funny, both!

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[Rick Green – Founder of TotallyADD]

I know a little bit about Zen. And Buddhism. Just enough to be corrected by someone who actually knows about it. Ha!

What I got out of reading about Zen is that it’s not about a deep search for the meaning of life. (I know, you’re asking, what’s this got to do with bending postal box keys? Bear with me, Grasshopper.)

It’s about being ‘mindful’ or ‘present’ or ‘here in the now’. Be here now. When you’re opening the postal box, that is what you are focussed on, just opening the postal box. Now at first I didn’t see what they meant. But of course,w hen I’m doing something simple, drying the dishes says, my mind is a million miles away, worrying about something that needs doing, or could go wrong, or is late… CRASH goes to the dish I was drying.

I get that when I’m playing ping pong, or doing card tricks, I want to be totally in the present. But what if all of life was like that? What if I was totally present when I was talking with my wife, or driving, or doing the dishes? Well, I’d never drop dishes or crash the car or piss of my wife. And I’d have no time for worrying about stuff that may or may not happen.

Cool eh?

How to get there? Practice. One key in the postal box lock at a time.

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[Patte Rosebank]

There can be a benefit to this impatience. I’ve found that it often leads me to figure out the most efficient way of doing something (particularly a repetitive task at work). Just yesterday, I came up with a really simple way of speeding up the chore of inspecting every single seat in the theatre (BOTH theatres, since we have two in this building) for dirt and mechanical issues. It was amazing how simple the solution was. And as soon as I suggested it, my managers thought it was a great idea, and we used it right away!

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[Anonymous]

Impatience and frustration! Goodness, that’s me. I buy groceries, hate to put them away but a week later freak out because I didn’t use anything and it is all spoiled. I hate to cook…takes too much time and I am confused about what spices to use or having to wash the pans…so I eat junk and yes, have a weight problem. KEYS…if I don’t hang them up when I get home, of course I don’t remember where they are and that’s really scary when you think you are going to be late for work. I am not one to be late though…I have extra keys JUST in case but you understand what I’m saying. I work at a grocery store and we wear a uniform so I don’t wear nice clothes much…needed to get dressed up this week and NO SHOES so I had to wear work shoes…still can’t find jewelry I put somewhere because workpeople needed entry to my apt and still can’t find the box…interesting phenomena!

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