SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH – BREAK THE STRESS

I had a job starting at 1:00PM, Tuesday 6/27/2017. Big job, several hours. And no address, no last name for the client, no phone number or email address. This person is stressed from moving to a new home: I’m being hired to help unpack. The request came through an online brokerage which doesn’t give contact information. Three requests for the information and two days later… I never did get on-site.

Stress causes forgetfulness. SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH. Deliberately, carefully, one-syllable-at-a-time ask yourself “Am I forgetting anything?” “What are the steps to this task?” “Did I answer everyone’s questions?” “Do I feel ‘finished?” Ask anything which pops into your head which might help you break the underlying anxiety. If the question is “Am I being ridiculous?” “Am I bouncing around like a ping-pong ball?” that’s OK!

You are NOT doubting yourself in any way when you take the time and care to be sure that you’ve done the best you can. You are giving yourself the self-respect to avoid mistakes.  No “lazy, stupid or crazy” going on, to quote one of my favorite books You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!: The Classic Self-Help Book for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder by Kate Kelly  and Peggy Ramundo.

I just hope I don’t suddenly see the “she’s terrible, she never shows up” review online. That would leave me just a little annoyed.