Looking for my keys is not uncommon for me. I usually find them in the bottom of my handbag, but which handbag is usually the question? The way I track them back is I need to reflect on what outfit I wore (yes I remember the strangest things) and then connect the outfit to the handbag. It sounds like I have a lot of handbags. I have a few. Perhaps, I will count how many I have before I publish this article. That’s if I remember to do so.

I have been forgetting things. 

Six days ago; 
We were at the boat Sunday afternoon doing some work and then had a quiet drink on the deck. Went home. I woke up Monday morning wondering if we have closed the hatches and portholes. I threw the dogs in the car and headed out to the marina. Their morning walk was at East Coast Marina Manly. And we had shut the hatches. 

I laughed at myself and I was glad to have made the dash out there as rain was forecast.

So, I sat on the deck and enjoyed the stillness of the morning. I imagined what it will be like getting up every morning and bringing my cuppa up and watching everything and nothing. Every time a fish jumped out of the water I missed it, only catching the concentric ripple of evidence they left behind them. I noticed, people leaving their boats dressed for work. I remember to look at our new rigging. Two women paddled back to the shore in their single woman outriggers. They must have left early. One was lefthanded, one was right minded. 

—
Mental note 1, remember next time I am in Hawaii I want to paddle a traditional outrigger… 
Mental note 2, remember I must bring my surf ski to the boat this weekend.
—

Tuesday, I realised I was meant to contact two clients last week, and I had not… (I must rectify that)…. Along with two friends… 

Wednesday morning, I woke up to find that I had prepared the dog’s dinner the night before and had forgotten to put it down for them. They are way more polite than the cat is in this matter.

And that only got me as far Wednesday.

So, what are your signs of being under pressure or stress or both?

For me, I eventually feel it in my jaw. However, there are plenty of other earlier signs. Most of them are around short-term memory. Where is my phone? It can still be in my hand when I ask myself the question. Where are my glasses? Walking into a room to do something only to fin myself standing still tryng to remember what that was. Retelling my husband stories from the day. Not one, twice… Hey baby, did I tell you…? 

My mind races. Normally, I like working at this pace. However, I can only do it if have balance. Normally, I have it built into my day. For me it is the quiet of the morning before anyone else is awake. However, nothing about the last few weeks has been normal.

The two things that always help are a kick-arse action list (and then the keys magically reappear) and pausing to reflect. In that reflecting space I can relax and connect the dots of what I am meant to be doing and why. Versus jumping across thoughts as they either catch my eye or my mind lands on what I need to do. The former is planned and proactive and the latter is reactive and risks missing something seriously important. 

If I reflect and plan in the evening I can relax and sleep knowing exactly what I will do in the morning. I wake and my morning routine kicks in. And balance is restored once again. 

Be kind to yourself…