I’m a wordsmith by profession, and by passion. And while our woes may vary, we may have something in common when it comes to having to multitask and needing to prioritize.
Some weeks run smoothly: You hit your stride. You and everyone around have momentum that won’t quit—that couldn’t quit! Deadlines are hit, editing goes well, proofs are reviewed and posted. All is well with the world.
And then, it’s a new week.
The person who couldn’t wait to share his or her expertise for that upcoming article doesn’t return phone calls or e-mail. The person who’d have just the right comment is the one who left the company, or whose contact information is incorrect. An article that was a writer’s a masterful combination of necessary detail and creative accompaniment has to be slashed in half. A mystery contract shows up, and your fabulous co-workers start a mad juggling act to keep the peace. The deadline you thought you were on top of is now on top of you. Then your computer goes down, taking your work with it.
There’s no pause button; no rewind. The only sound in your office is your heaving sigh.
Perhaps it’s cabin fever, or the weight of The Winter That Wouldn’t Stay Gone, or an off-balance workload or short-handed office. Perhaps it’s a comedy of errors (that isn’t particularly funny). Things aren’t going the way you want, and you want to fix that. NOW.
How do you do it all?
How do you balance the good, bad, and insufferable? What do you do when things are spiraling out of control—or how do you prevent that spiral? How do you keep an even keel, when it feels as though your ship is sinking? How do you stay afloat? How do you manage chaos?
Crazy days are all around us, some more frequently than others. How do you handle yours? Drop me a line at [email protected] or post a comment below. We could have an interesting conversation.
Written by: Amy L Charles is West Michigan Woman's editor, and if you're a red pen, then you're her best friend. She's taking our magazine and editing it until it shines, but Amy has more tricks up her sleeve than pages in the Chicago Manual of Style.
