Salute of the Juggler

I’ve often heard it said of me that I try to take on too many tasks at the same time and set myself unrealistic objectives. This is quite true although it is completely unintentional. Except of course, when it comes to my day job when I’m rewarded for completing my daily tasks ahead of schedule with more work. This work is usually some menial task that requires me to work flat out to complete it yesterday and was more often than not originally assigned to one of my colleagues.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not averse to a bit of extra work but there is a fine line between multi-tasking and taking the absolute Mickey. That said, I have in the past given myself extra work, such as in my writing, and trying to juggle several different projects at the same time whilst wrestling them into a format that makes sense is no easy task.

So why do I do this to myself? To be perfectly honest with you, I’d be lying if I said that I knew why. It could well be that I work better when I apply a little bit of pressure to myself be it either intentional or not. Alternately, it could be that I do it because I’m barking mad, which would explain a lot. A great many people would readily agree. I have tried numerous times to focus on a single project, but the idea beast creeps up on me and furnishes me with another project. That is where the juggling comes into play.

Learning to juggle is no easy task at the best of times. Seasoned jugglers make it look so easy. Indeed, I’ve lost count of the number of balls, clubs and what not that I’ve fumbled with and dropped over the years. So, it’s not likely that in the very near future I’ll be able to keep only one iron in the fire at a time. I shall continue to try of course, I will, but the idea beast is relentless.

 Shaun McBride.

Author of The Chronicles of Dreyfus