My work is often intense, with a seemingly constant flow of overlapping messy problems to break down. Most people will be aware that I love messy problems, but in the same way that hoisting too many juggling balls airborne makes it likely that they will all fall to the floor, there is a threshold where even a series of enjoyable cognitive pressures turn into uncomfortable stress.
Right now I feel as if I have four juggling balls in the air (which I can only manage for a short time, and then only as two pairs) and whilst I relish the challenge, I seem to be working in that place where just one more pressure will bring everything to the floor.
Outside of work hours I’m currently pretty brain-dead and whilst I know that running helps my mind to work more effectively, the motivation is often lacking.
My work colleague Chris gave my mind a gentle jog yesterday when he went out for a run at lunchtime, before making good use of the showers that hide somewhere in our labyrinthine building. It seems that I’m not the only one struggling to keep the running neurons in play by trying to weave in the occasional short run.
At a mile in 9.34 on the running machine this morning, my run was shorter and way less interesting than his, but I feel glad that I stepped up.
Now to cool down & shower before I get back to the extreme cognitive exercise that is my work day!
