Efficiency

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“It’s not the heavy load that breaks you, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lena Horne

I needed to go downstairs to empty out the recycling bin. While I was down there, I thought I’d bring up some sodas from the store room. Then I remembered that my friend Eric was coming for dinner and I grabbed cans of the seltzer water he likes too. Before I even got to the door of the storage room, I dropped one of the cans. I picked it up, dropped it again and this time when I picked it up, it had been punctured. Nevertheless, I still continued to carry it upstairs, balancing 6 cans and a recycle bin dripping seltzer water the whole way.

<Sigh> The things I do for efficiency. 😊

This seems to be a lesson that I have to learn again and again. I think it’s a tangible reminder when I’m carrying too much.

When I slow down and do things well, I feel the simple joy of completing each task well. When I overload myself, all I feel is the sensation of juggling balance.

And then I drop one thing and instead of noticing it as a cue to empty my hands, I focus on just the thing I dropped.

Finally when I’ve persisted in bumbling my way through, I see the ridiculousness of it all and start to laugh. Humor makes sopping up seltzer water more bearable as I shake my head in wonder at my stubbornness.

I know it’s a human affliction to believe that we can contort ourselves in all sorts of shapes in order to juggle it all. And then we are reminded to put the load down, ask for help, or not do it all at once. If we listen, we are rewarded with the pleasure of doing one thing well. If we don’t, we get to laugh at our humanity while we clean up the mess.

(featured photo from Pexels)

21 thoughts on “Efficiency”

  2. Ah, for the good old days when an average 16th century man lived in a dirty, leaky, miserable residence; couldn’t read, survived (briefly) on a limited diet, never got more than 16 miles from home, worked the land, told stories, had no way of telling time, and drank alcohol for recreation and solace.😳 If he were around and we asked him about efficiency he probably would have asked, What’s that?”😁

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    1. What a fascinating comment, Dr. Stein! And I’m sure our position isn’t helped by carrying out these computers so we are connected everywhere. No longer is a drive in the car just a drive in the car.

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  3. As you say, “If we listen, we are rewarded with the pleasure of doing one thing well. If we don’t, we get to laugh at our humanity while we clean up the mess.” OR, as I am learning NOT to do, we can wallow around in anger over the stupidity of a decision that creates a need to clean up a mess. I like your choice of laughter a whole lot better! Thanks for reminding me that we all have choices of attitude all of the time! Laughter trumps anger any time!

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    1. Great point, Julia. Yes, it is a choice isn’t it? I don’t always laugh – but when I acknowledge that I was warned and still persisted, somehow that makes me laugh. 🙂 Hope you have a great Monday my friend!

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    1. Thanks, Ab. By the way, I was curious why today was a holiday in Canada too and I looked it up. The reference I found called it “Family Day.” That sounds so sweet! Hope you guys are enjoying it!

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      1. Thank you, Wynne. It’s a more recent holiday, introduced within the last decade or so. It certainly helps give a nice relaxing boost during these cold darker days! 😊

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  9. “Humor makes sopping up seltzer water more bearable as I shake my head in wonder at my stubbornness”. Humour is indeed the best way to get over any situation. Your post reminds me how I try to do everything all at once, thinking if I break down my tasks I’d be less efficient. On how I plan to read a number of books, write a number of posts, study a number of articles-the over ambitious me. And with time I’ve realized, and continue to do so, that is better to just to one thing at a time and not burden myself with the notion of perfection.

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    1. Oh, how I love this comment! Yes, the simple goodness of doing one thing at a time. And so necessary to give up that notion of perfection! Funny how our minds trick us to do what you suggest to calculate it all when the math has always been do one thing well and then move on! Brilliant comment, parikhit!

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