Can We Talk 2

Interruptions

         I heard a sermon yesterday about interruptions. He based it on a scripture story where Jesus gets interrupted on a journey. The was comparing it to having daily tasks interrupted by little emergencies, or at least unexpected events. He claimed that the interruptions were sometimes just as important or more so than the goal of the original task.

         A lot of employers want you to multi-task, so they can schedule as few people as possible. Studies have shown that multi-tasking can be less productive If one of the tasks involves computations or concentration, then you lose time and have to repeat efforts every time you have to stop to do something else. Examples would be dealing with the public, or phone calls that involve research and resolution while you are trying to make a spreadsheet or balance the budget or edit the monthly newsletter. It seems to involve a different attitude if you're a social worker, or a minister, or a parent. Your first priority is to "minister" or care for those people, who should, by the way, be exercising some etiquette and consideration. I can see if you're trying to write a sermon, or fill our your weekly report forms, or even have a moment to yourself. You don't want to be disturbed, any more than the retail clerk or the office clerk who has been given a list of chores to perform.

         As I listened, I also thought about my weekly goals. I've made it a ritual since I retired to write my goals on Monday with Friday as the deadline. I did this in most of my office jobs about work projects. Some jobs, you just take it as it comes; you aren't paid to have goals or deadlines. I've noticed that every week something always comes up. Some horrendous thing that stops the flow. The wind blows a tree over the driveway, smashing the cars. A family member gets sick and needs a lot of attention. I threw out my back; when it started getting better, I did something to my foot and couldn't walk. Exercise goals, gardening, spring cleaning, etc., get deleted from the list. Friday comes around, and I'm in failure mode again. It's just life. makes you wonder, sometimes, if setting goals is worth the time.

         A friend in her early 80's saw me after church, and laughed. The preacher is only about 30. "Wait until he gets old and knows about strokes, and arthritis, and taking your spouse to the doctor. He'll know what interruptions are." You don't have to get old to know that. Your kids break their bones, wreck the car, get bullied, or you lose your job. The list goes on. All these things stop you in your long and short term goals, sometimes briefly, sometimes forever.

         I know the point he was trying to make is that whatever our circumstances, we are accountable for how we respond. Our ministry, our life is what happens in the setbacks and the interruptions. Maybe goal setting is just to keep us on the right track. We're not really meant to accomplish them all. Even if we are destined to reach particular ends, it's how we handle the things that hold us back that makes us who we are.