Barrel of monkeys
I continually struggle with what I call "life admin".
The other day, for example, I idly thought "maybe I should go to the gym". (Note: I did not think, I should start going to the gym, as in, make the gym something that becomes a regular occurrence in my life. One-time-fix-all thinking becomes part of the problem.)
I'm not going to go to the gym.
I'm not even a little bit going to go to the gym.
If I were going to go to the gym, regularly, I would need a friend-who-helps-Katie-go-to-the-gym in order to do it. Not just a "gym buddy" to work out with me. The actual exercising would be the easiest part of this endeavor, but who doesn't appreciate a cheerleader?
Here's what friend-who-helps-Katie-go-to-the-gym would need to do:
1. Choose which gym. Seriously, all other things being equal, I'd fall down right there.
1b. Teach me how to choose which gym to go to. Which matters more? Price? Location? Facilities? Opening hours? What?
2. Schedule when we are going to the gym. Taking account of things like when I'm busiest, what time of day is best for exercising, when I have more energy, etc. I don't even know all the factors I'd need to consider.
2b. Teach me how to do this myself.
3. Chose some gym clothes for me. What type of clothes do I need? How many changes do I need? Do I need any specialist equipment?
3b. What are the most important factors in choosing gym clothes? What are the essentials, what are the nice-to-haves, what can I really do without?
4. Physically take me to the gym. (Sorry.) I can get a LOT accomplished by desire not to let someone down, so I'm not going to flake out on plans that concrete. And I have been known to flake on plans. Even plans I wanted to do. Because I get all in a tizz about which day it is and how I'd remembered the thing as being on a different day, and I don't know what time to leave the house to do something and I think the plan, even the best plan, will fail in some way, and did I mention getting in a tizz about it??
5. Sort out what exercise program we're going to do. What activities? In what order? What level shall we do them at? What settings should we put the machines on? How long do we do each activity? How many reps? Have I missed anything?
5b. And how do I figure out all of this stuff on my own?
6. After about three months of doing all of this, and going with me as a regular gym buddy, maybe cancel on going with me? Just one time? Patiently explain to me that because we've done the same workout every single time for three months, I'd be able to repeat that, following the pattern exactly, by myself. Give me clear and detailed instructions about an alternative way to get to the gym, +/- a phone call about 15 minutes before I need to leave to remind me to keep track of time.
7. Work on a new routine with me. See 5.
8. Repeat 7. a few different times, after I've learned each routine. Repeat 6. as necessary.
...
and maybe in a year, after seeing all of this chained together, I'll be able to go to the gym by myself! Yay!
Unfortunately, there is no friend-who-helps-Katie-go-to-the-gym. No gym-P.A., at least not without paying a gabillionty bucks, which is why I don't go to the gym.
Otherwise, I'll just end up expending a load of energy but looking like a fool in the process.
Other areas of life, though? Same thing applies. Unlike the gym, not all of them are optional.
The other day, for example, I idly thought "maybe I should go to the gym". (Note: I did not think, I should start going to the gym, as in, make the gym something that becomes a regular occurrence in my life. One-time-fix-all thinking becomes part of the problem.)
I'm not going to go to the gym.
I'm not even a little bit going to go to the gym.
If I were going to go to the gym, regularly, I would need a friend-who-helps-Katie-go-to-the-gym in order to do it. Not just a "gym buddy" to work out with me. The actual exercising would be the easiest part of this endeavor, but who doesn't appreciate a cheerleader?
Here's what friend-who-helps-Katie-go-to-the-gym would need to do:
1. Choose which gym. Seriously, all other things being equal, I'd fall down right there.
1b. Teach me how to choose which gym to go to. Which matters more? Price? Location? Facilities? Opening hours? What?
2. Schedule when we are going to the gym. Taking account of things like when I'm busiest, what time of day is best for exercising, when I have more energy, etc. I don't even know all the factors I'd need to consider.
2b. Teach me how to do this myself.
3. Chose some gym clothes for me. What type of clothes do I need? How many changes do I need? Do I need any specialist equipment?
3b. What are the most important factors in choosing gym clothes? What are the essentials, what are the nice-to-haves, what can I really do without?
4. Physically take me to the gym. (Sorry.) I can get a LOT accomplished by desire not to let someone down, so I'm not going to flake out on plans that concrete. And I have been known to flake on plans. Even plans I wanted to do. Because I get all in a tizz about which day it is and how I'd remembered the thing as being on a different day, and I don't know what time to leave the house to do something and I think the plan, even the best plan, will fail in some way, and did I mention getting in a tizz about it??
5. Sort out what exercise program we're going to do. What activities? In what order? What level shall we do them at? What settings should we put the machines on? How long do we do each activity? How many reps? Have I missed anything?
5b. And how do I figure out all of this stuff on my own?
6. After about three months of doing all of this, and going with me as a regular gym buddy, maybe cancel on going with me? Just one time? Patiently explain to me that because we've done the same workout every single time for three months, I'd be able to repeat that, following the pattern exactly, by myself. Give me clear and detailed instructions about an alternative way to get to the gym, +/- a phone call about 15 minutes before I need to leave to remind me to keep track of time.
7. Work on a new routine with me. See 5.
8. Repeat 7. a few different times, after I've learned each routine. Repeat 6. as necessary.
...
and maybe in a year, after seeing all of this chained together, I'll be able to go to the gym by myself! Yay!
Unfortunately, there is no friend-who-helps-Katie-go-to-the-gym. No gym-P.A., at least not without paying a gabillionty bucks, which is why I don't go to the gym.
Otherwise, I'll just end up expending a load of energy but looking like a fool in the process.
Other areas of life, though? Same thing applies. Unlike the gym, not all of them are optional.