"Just a Minute"

     Who doesn't love a rainy day at home?  Thank God for today's drizzle and clouds.  When I awoke this morning,  it was so dark in our room that I had to ask my hubby, "What day is it?"   He immediately knew that it was going to be one of those days that my blonde moments would rule my world.  I thought it was Saturday because how else could I be sleeping this late.  Don't misunderstand,  I had already been up at 5 a.m. to get our high schooler off for his day.   However, I made the mistake of lying back down for "just a minute."  How many times have I thought "just a minute" and was thrown off track with my plans?  In my efforts to do many tasks at one time, I sometimes lose the fervor to do one job well.  This multitasking is such a well sought after commodity in our society today. 
     Everyone fancies themselves to have the ability to do many things at once and do them well.  As an Xray Technologist and Instructor, I have taught students that multitasking is a neccesity for our field.  You must take care of the patient, plan your exam, do math, set technique, and position all at the same time.  Sounds great, doesn't it?  Yet, is it entirely possible to do many jobs at once well and to the best of your ability?       When I am talking to the patient and giving them a warm blanket, I am providing excellent patient care.  As I place the patients' body in correct positions and align the Xray equipment to the body part, I am performing with excellent positioning skills.  While I shield the patient with a lead apron and concentrate my Xray beam to only the part needing an Xray, I am providing excellent radiation protection.  These are all necessary skills to do the job, however if I allow myself to become overwhelmed with the complexity of performing multiple tasks, job performance will falter.  If I allow myself to become distracted for "just a minute", one of these necessary parts will fail and the entire job performance will decline. 
     A well seasoned technologist gave me some great advice during my first year as a new technologist, she said "You can only do one thing at a time."  You will never know the freedom this bit of wisdom afforded me.  I was one of three technologists staffing a busy trauma center on a night time weekend shift.  We staffed the operating room, the emergency room, the inpatients, and the trauma room.  Clearly, there were more than 3 areas to work in.   Most nights, there would be no lunch breaks.  When the patients came rolling in by the car loads, as they often did,  we would make do with what we had.  It was during a night such as this that in the midst of the frenzy, and my obvious sense of overwhelming responsibility to do everything all at once, that I recieved such sage advice. Thank you dear wise co-worker for giving me permissin to do only one thing at a time.  By learning to pace myself and do one thing well, then move to the next, I became better organized and adept at performing the many facets of my job.  I was less likely to say, "just a minute",  then forget necessary tasks. 
     We battle this tendency in our children to say, "just a minute".   They use this to express frustration when overwhelmed.  Children also use this as a means to control their environment.  However, if we accept this pushing back at our authority,  kids learn to disrespect the importance of their responsibilities and ultimately may gain control of the home.  Our children need to learn to follow directions and take personal responsibility for their actions.  When they are playing a video game and have been told to stop playing by 6:00, and they don't obey, we will challenge them.  Typically, the response will be, "just a minute".   If we wait for these "minutes" to pass, the entire schedule for their day can be spoiled.  Essentially, they are cutting into family time, dinner time, bedtime rituals, and eventually sleep time.  If we apply this to our kids homework asignments, the children will put off for later what needs to be done today.  The results  of their actions can mean failure in their school work due to a lack of personal responsibility and a positive work ethic to get the job done one task at a time. 
     So, this morning when I chose to lie down for "just a minute", what did that cost me?   I got up and cooked a  breakfast of grits and toast and eggs for the hubby and myself.  Then fed our Bella dog her medicine and morning treat.  My housework was waiting for me to do:   dishes, dusting, vacuming.  However, I still haven't taken the time to get dressed for my day!  I spent that time sleeping . Thank God for the rainy pajama day !

    I love a rainy day!