I’m sure you have heard people complain that they feel overwhelmed. What is whelm? And why is the term always “overwhelm” not just plain old “whelm?”
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\nLately, I have definitely been feeling that my level of whelm has been extensive.<\/p>\n
Going back to Middle English, the verb “whelm” is defined in the dictionary as “to submerge, engulf.” As a moderate student of the English language, I have never understood why one must append “over” to “whelm” to make it sound even worse.<\/p>\n
Whatever…<\/p>\n
Let me say that I have been busier at work than I have ever, ever, been in my life. I am able to do what I need to do, but the level of demands for my attention and the number of things I am asked to do, in addition to attending endless meetings are intense.<\/p>\n
I AM employing skill in forcing myself to declare and end to the day within reason — not working late into the night to return before the first rooster crows in the morning. That is, I am putting in about ten-hour days (including 15 min lunch), which is the limit I have established for myself. I am loathe to check email when I get home, and am downright grateful that I do not have a smartphone that could easily suck me into the practice of always working from wherever you are.<\/p>\n
But I know that the level of energy I am expending at work is showing… I get things done, but by the time I get home, I am absolutely wiped out. For example, the other day, I mowed the lawn soon after arriving home from work. I returned inside afterwords and got a glass of cold water and sat down on the sofa to drink it and cool down. Then I must have fallen asleep because the next thing that I remember was waking up about 2am with a puddle on the floor where the water must have spilled.<\/p>\n
Another way that I know that I am expending a lot of energy at work is that I am losing weight. Not a lot, but I can tell. I have to admit, I’ve been so busy, I have been skipping meals. Good for the avoidance of calories, but bad for overall health and nutrition. <\/p>\n
To remedy that, yesterday when I arrived home from work, I called a friend and met her to take a long walk on a beautiful, sunny, pleasant autumn afternoon. I needed that. When I got home, I sat myself down and prepared a salad with grilled chicken. Yes, I can eat (sorta) healthy if I want to… but not having my spouse at home finds me reverting to old bad habits that I did when I was single. Prepared foods, frozen\/microwaved stuff, cereal, or just skip it. <\/p>\n
I really miss my spouse as he continues to tend to his mother in Pittsburgh. I will pick him up this coming weekend, and I can’t wait to have him back home. I miss him. Having him to care for, prepare meals for, and do things with — even if it’s just watching TV — is far better than what I do when he is away. The hole in my heart grows each day of his absence.<\/p>\n
Well, that’s enough rambling here at 0400. Time to get dressed, pull on my motorcycle boots (not sure yet which ones), prepare a lunch, gear up, and ride the Harley to work. Yippie — another day of whelm!<\/p>\n
Life is short: read all you want about a balanced work\/home life… the trick is, you gotta do it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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